A VILLAGE’S bells will ring out in a three-hour marathon on Sunday to mark the ruby wedding anniversary of a couple who met in a belfry.

John Pilkington, captain of the Whalley Parish Church bell team, and his wife, Shirley, also a regular member of the team, met beneath the bells of Clitheroe Parish Church.

Ian Smith, who rings at Blackburn Cathedral and is a member of East Lancashire Bell-Ringing Association, heard about the 40th wedding anniversary and organised the ring of the Whalley Parish Church bells.

Mr Pilkington was a mentor to him in his early ringing career.

A team from the association, of which Mr and Mrs Pilkington are members, will attempt a peal of the Yorkshire Surprise Major, which involves more than 5,000 pulls on the bell ropes and takes more than three hours.

Mr Pilkington said: “It came as a great surprise when we were told of the peal attempt but we both feel very pleased about it.”

The couple met when Mr Pilkington, who lived in Clayton-le-Moors and rang at St James’ Church, Accrington, and at Church Kirk, went to help out at Clitheroe Parish Church.

During practice, he met Shirley Washbrook, a member of the parish church team.

Mrs Pilkington said: “It was quite a while before we started going out together but eventually we got together.”

The couple married at Clitheroe Parish Church 40 years ago.

They had found a house in Whittam Road, Whalley, where they still live. When they moved to the village, Mr Pilkington was invited to take over the captaincy of the Whalley ringing team and is still in charge.

He said: “There have been a lot of different faces in the team over the years and when you get older, it gets harder to keep on ringing.

“We have had times when we have had to take some time off.

“We are always looking for new people to join us.”

Mrs Pilkington, who was brought up in Barrow, was parish secretary for 15 years.

Until her retirement, she worked as a book-keeper and clerk.

Mr Pilkington was an electrical engineer and retired as lecturer in quality management.