CHANGES were rung in at the parish church today as a new bell ringing team was named north west champion.

The team of bell ringers from Macclesfield was judged best out of the six teams who competed. Each team had 15 minutes to practice with the bells of Bolton Parish Church before performing Plain Bob Maximus.

Alan Forrester, aged 77, the deputy church warden, said: "This competition is in its second year and we're hosting it.

"Most towers only have eight bells but we happen to have 12, so we're able to host a 12 bell competition.

"It means all 12 of our bells get to be heard."

The North West 12 Bell Striking Competition started at 11am and was judged by chief adjudicator Simon Linford, who had travelled from Birmingham for the competition.

Paul Hunter, aged 32 from Sefton, organised the competition and said he was pleased to have as many teams as last year competing.

He said: "We wanted to encourage 12 bell ringing in the north west because in the past there's only been the national competition."

Mr Hunter explained a lot of towers would not get the chance to host the national competition for a range of reasons. In Bolton, for example, it can be difficult to hear the bells properly in the ringing room.

He said a regional competition gives 12-bell towers in the north west the chance to shine.

Last year the competition was held in Chester and was won by the team from Chester. This year Chester were the runners up.

Bolton's Parish Church, St Peter's at Bolton-Le-Moor was built in 1871 with a £47,000 donation from Peter Ormerod, a local mill owner.

When it was built it had eight bells created by two different foundries, Mr Forrester explained this meant they did not blend well.

In 1974, the original bells were taken out, bar one, and the church took eight bells from Church of the Saviour in Deane, which was closing.

A new steel frame was made for the tower and John Taylor & Co in Loughborough, Britain's last bell foundry, made five new bells for the church.

Mr Forrester explained the church has 13 bells, it has two number two bells, giving them a sharp second.