AFTER eight years' silence, the bells at Hanley Swan's St Gabriel's Church could soon be ringing out again.

The church is now within touching distance of its £23,000 target to carry out major repair and refurbishment work.

The fund was recently boosted by a £4,000 donation from the Worcestershire Change Ringers Society, and each of the six bells is now being offered for dedication in an attempt to raise the remaining funds.

Assistant church warden John Boardman said that, all going well, repairs to the bells could start shortly after Easter.

"There is a substantial amount of work that needs doing, the bell mechanics themselves are literally worn out and the bearings need replacing, and the original 130-year-old oak frame needs strengthening work," he said. "The bells will also be taken down and electronically tuned. It's difficult to say how long the whole process will take, but probably about two or three months."

Mr Boardman paid tribute to the small Hanley Swan community for its hard work during the six-year campaign to save the bells.

"It has taken an awful lot of effort to get this far, and it will be very good for this village to have its bells back," he said. "It's a lot of money to find in a small community, and after many years of waiting there's now a sense that we're getting really close."

The church is offering individuals or groups the opportunity to have a bell restored in their own name or in the memory of a loved one for a donation of £1,000. Two bells have already been taken, and anyone who would like one of the remaining four should contact Mr Boardman on 01684 311748 or Hanley vicar Frances Wookey on 01684 310321.