THE restoration of the bells of St Agatha's church in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell is now under way.

Church goers in the village near Wallingford raised about £60,000 to fund vital maintenance work for the church’s eight bells.

Church bell hangers Whites of Appleton, near Abingdon, are carrying out the repairs.

Company owner Brian White said the bells were removed on Monday and repair work would now take four or five months.

He added: "Our bell hanger, assisted by local residents, is removing the bells - it's not too tricky if you are experienced.

"The eight bells are being retuned, and six will have new fittings."

The bells' framework needs to be repaired before they can be rehung, Tony Lascelles, head of the fundraising committee, said last year.

Apart from general maintenance the bells have not been refurbished since 1808, after the church tower collapsed a few years earlier.

A total of six new bells were then installed in the church, which was built in 1153, and another two bells were added in 1968.

Mr Lascelles, who has lived in the village for 40 years, said earlier that bell ringing at the village church was a popular activity.

Villagers were invited to donate towards the repair fund or to sponsor a specific bell of their choice. Sponsors will have a plaque with their name placed on the bell once they have been rehung.

The church held several fundraising events, including an open garden and plant sale in September and a Safari Supper in October, where people visited houses in the village to try different meals.

The church also held a fundraising appeal in 2012 to finance a new extension to the main building.

The work cost £175,000 and paid for a new multi-purpose meeting room, new toilets and a kitchen.