A BID to restore church bells in an historic north Hampshire church has moved a big step closer after the Heritage Lottery Fund gave its blessing to the project.

Dummer Bell Restoration appeal has been given 25 per cent of the £40,000 appeal target which needs to be hit to keep the bells ringing at All Saints’ Church.

The cash injection now brings the total raised so far to more than £30,000.

Now, members of the Dummer Restoration Group believe restoration work could begin as soon as November – nearly 100 years after the bells were last repaired.

Restoration group chairman Stafford Napier said: “Our success so far is largely down to the generous villagers in our neighbourhood.

“We have not just had one or two donations but lots and lots of small donations which is very encouraging.

“We are delighted that while the church is a lovely location for weddings and baptisms, these people are becoming part of our church community. How good it will be when they come, summoned – we hope by our bells.”

The bells, dating back to 1590, have rung for countless services, wedding and baptisms. But they are now in need of specialist engineering work to ensure they can continue to do this. Whites of Appleton, based in Oxfordshire, will carry out the specialist restoration work.

Fundraising events have ranged from a concert within All Saints' Church itself, a sponsored 10-mile run, a Jane Austen evening – she used to walk from Steventon to visit the Manor in Dummer – and a weekend of open gardens. More events are planned.

All Saints' Church, part of the Parish of Farleigh, has its roots in the 12th century. Dummer village is itself recorded in the Domesday Book.