Bell ringers in Dartmouth celebrated the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s Accession to the throne with a solid hour of ringing last Sunday evening.

The bells of St Petrox rung out a “Queens” pattern for the start of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Tim Chapman, tower captain of St Saviour’s, St Petrox and St Clement’s, said: “We were pleased to be able to ring several peals of Devon Call Changes in celebration of this milestone. And what pattern did we ring - Queens of course.

"Queens is one of the more familiar set of changes rung on our bells - the pattern of the bells being rung in the sequence of 1 3 5 2 4 6. Normally we ring this set of changes, which takes around ten minutes to ring, for weddings or in the bell ringing competitions that we take part in across the county. But for the Platinum Jubilee it felt only right that we should call this aptly named set of changes to mark such an historic occasion."

The official Platinum Jubilee celebrations are in the summer, with a four-day bank holiday weekend from Thursday June 2.

Tim said the bell ringers will be celebrating with ringing from the three churches of Dartmouth, and also Dittisham and Kingswear.

He added: “My big plan is that we’ll spend a whole day – not sure which of the four days yet – ringing at the three churches in Dartmouth – St Saviour’s, St Petrox and St Clement’s. I also want to ring at George’s, Dittisham, as part of our United Benefice, and then cross the river to ring at St Thomas’s in Kingswear.

“I feel that this will be a wonderful tribute to Her Majesty, that all the towers in the Dartmouth area ring out and bring the community together to share in these celebrations.”