THE bells were set to be rung out across Colne, back in 1969.

For 60 hand bells, ranging in size from an egg cup to a bucket, had been found at Colne Library and librarian Peter Wightman hoped they could be played once more.

No-one was certain exactly how old the bells of Colne were, although it was thought they had first been played 200 years earlier.

Until they were discovered hidden away in a box, they had not been used since the forties.

They were, however, in good order, although two were missing and just waiting to peeled across the borough.

The question was, who would play them? Said Peter: “Perhaps a school or society could take up bell ringing, or maybe a local choir.

“They make a pleasant sound and it should not be difficult to learn a few tunes.”

Decades earlier hand bells had been popular in many parts of East Lancashire when they had been in the possession of the Golden Vale Handbell Ringers.

The group was said to be among the best in the district and it was deemed an honour to be a member of the team.

However, interest had begun to wane about the time of World War I and the team disbanded, despite efforts by one member John Ferguson to build it up once more. In the 60s his daughter Ruth still lived in Colne and urged people to come forward to play the handbells: “I think they were given to the library to go in the museum, but they aren’t museum pieces.

“It would be far better if they could be given a new lease of life.” Do you know if they were and have you any photographs of bell ringing in Colne that we could feature on our page?

l Our bottom photograph shows young members of Colne Library trying the bells for size more than 40 years ago. We do not know the youngsters’ names, do you?

The top one dates back to the early 1900s and shows the bellringers of Stanley Mills, Colne. For the record, it shows, from the left: Fred Ashworth, Hartley Duerden, Bob Foulds, Thomas Ashworth, J Ferguson and H Riley.