A BELL-RINGER is celebrating 60 years of service to churches across north Essex with an hour-long peal performance.

John Felgate, 76, has been a dedicated campanologist since he was a youngster.

He started when he was around 11 years old at St Nicholas’ Church, Harwich, where he used to stand on the chairs to be able to reach the ropes.

He has offered his skills at a number of churches in the area including St Peter’s, in Colchester, Thorpe and Kirby-le-Soken, where he lives with his wife Jill.

On Thursday, December 21, he will returnbe heading back to St Nicholas’ Church to perform a quarter peal performance which will take 45-50 minutes to mark 60 years to the day of his bell-ringing peal debut.

“I’ll be ringing the same bell I did all those years ago,” said John.

“My father was also bell-ringer. I went to church with him and I’ve been doing it ever since then. I’ve rang in many churches throughout the community.

“It’s a big interest for me – I usually bell ring about four times a week and three of those are practices.

“It keeps me quite busy. We sometimes do weddings and funerals when requested.

“Most of our ringers are of older age and they’re always recruiting because younger people get carried away with other things.

“I’m probably one of the longest-serving members of the bell ringing association – it’s something I enjoy.”

John will be joined by seven other bell-ringers for the quarter peal performance at 7.30pm.

“One of the interesting things with bell ringing is you can’t see the bells – only the ropes – but you can hear them,” he added.

“I enjoy the sound of church bells and it is a skill I have developed over the years.”