Why do the bells of St Anne's ring at quarter past nine on Sunday mornings, when the service starts at ten? (Asked by Pat, Chapel Row.)

Because quarter past nine is when the ringers arrive, Pat. The bells are rung by a team of eight volunteers who climb sixty-one steps to the ringing chamber, and they ring for forty-five minutes before the service.

The habit is older than the church clock. Before most houses had one, the bells were how the town knew to set off: the first peal meant leave now, the last meant you were late. The ringers keep the timing out of habit, and because the tower captain, Gerald Mabey, says changing it would "confuse the pigeons".

The team is short of two ringers. Practice is on Wednesday evenings and no musical ability is required, Mr Mabey says, only the ability to count to eight and to stop when told.

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