After decades of silence, the bells at a church in a Norfolk village are preparing to toll again.

In August, six Victorian-era church bells were taken down at the Church of St Peter in Hedenham for renovation, in a £36,000 project to end their silence for the first time since 1991.

Two months later and a long held ambition for the church is soon to be fulfilled, as this week they were rehung in place ready to chime once more.

The project, financed in part by fundraising efforts and in part thanks to a £15,000 grant from the Saracen Trust, saw the bells spruced up and retuned ready for their return.

And now they have been put back in place, they will be programmed to an automated ringing system to allow them to chime at the push of a button.

Church secretary Chris Trayke said: ““We had a test ring back in 1991 but they haven’t rung in anger since then, so it will be wonderful to hear from them.”