THE peal of eight bells at Fressingfield Parish Church is ringing once again - 16 years after falling silent when the bell frame was declared unsafe.Renovation of the frame and rehanging of the bells is now complete so villagers and worshippers at St Peter and St Paul decided to have a celebration.

THE peal of eight bells at Fressingfield Parish Church is ringing once again - 16 years after falling silent when the bell frame was declared unsafe.

Renovation of the frame and rehanging of the bells is now complete so villagers and worshippers at St Peter and St Paul decided to have a celebration.

The Suffolk Guild of Ringers, led by chairman Philip Gorrod, led an introduction to bells and bell ringing in the Sancroft Hall.

A display of Fressingfield Ringers through the years had been mounted in

the hall by the village

local history and archive group.

After lunch, the guild's ringers rang a Yorkshire Surprise Major on the peal.

The following day the newly-formed band of Fressingfield Ringers took the ropes to ring a welcoming peal before the Rt Rev Nigel Stock, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and the Rev

Canon David Finch officiated at the service of dedication.

The congregation included representatives of funding bodies and sponsors and those who have been at the forefront of fundraising events.

During the lunch which followed the service, Guy McGregor, representing Suffolk County Council, presented a cheque for £750 towards the project from the council's Hoxne and Eye locality budget.

Suffolk Church Singers are presenting an Eastertide concert in the church on Saturday, March 29, at 7.30pm, in support of the

bell restoration, and the fourth Fressingfield Music Festival is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24 to Saturday, September 27 in the parish church.

This year's programme will be announced at the beginning of April.