Church bell rings again three years after theft

A community fundraising campaign helped the church replace the bell

Church bells are ringing again in Withernsea three years after one of the town's Parish church bells was stolen.

The bell was taken from St Matthew's Church during a break in on 4 October 2021.

Due to an administrative error the bell wasn't insured, meaning the church had to fundraise £8,455 to replace it.

The new bell, which weighs 220lb (100kg), was blessed at a special ceremony. The original bell was never recovered.

'Let it drop'

St Matthew's Churchwarden Alan McGregor alleges that those who took the bell "literally unbolted it and let it drop", also causing damage to the church cellar and doors.

He added that the bell did not have a large monetary value as scrap, claiming: "From the information I've got, they wouldn't have got an awful lot for it."

Describing his hopes that all went well for the blessing ceremony, which took place on 26 May, Mr McGregor said he had "a lot of prayers everything would go to order".

The new bell was funded by donations from local Lions and Buffaloes groups, alongside residents, churchgoers and several private businesses and individuals via a fundraising page.