Bell ringers in full peal challenge

If you were passing through Wivelsfield on Saturday you may have heard the quintessentially English sound of church bells.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Jul 2013, 15:43 BST
bellringers at Wivelsfield attempted to ring a full peal of 5040 changes.bellringers at Wivelsfield attempted to ring a full peal of 5040 changes.
bellringers at Wivelsfield attempted to ring a full peal of 5040 changes.

The peal was a very happy celebration but not for a wedding. It was a rare full peal that lasted two hours and 27 minutes and marked the birth of HRH Prince George of Cambridge, the 40th birthdays of two ringers, Simon Everest and Adrian Carter, and the 70th birthday of a fellow ringer from St Margaret’s Church, Ditchling, David Cragg.

Full peals are rare at Wivelsfield, with only six successful attempts before the one on Saturday.

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Bell ringers rose to the challenge to make it success number seven.

Five of the ringers are regulars at Wivelsfield, two ringers had never rung a peal before and for the treble, it was her first peal for 35 years.

Credit goes to everyone involved: Liz Lancaster, Stephen Beckingham, Ian Hodge, Adrian Carter, Simon Everest and Philip Diamond.