First there was a shortage of bells gracing the tower of St Edward King and Martyr Church in Corfe Castle.

Thanks to a Millennium Appeal there are now six magnificent bells, but a lack of people to ring the changes.

Tower captain Carole Dean, who lives in the village, is desperate to recruit some more, preferably younger ringers.

"If I can't get any volunteers there will be no bells in Corfe," she said. "It's a tradition and it's dying out."

She added: "The problem we have got is people won't give up three-quarters of an hour on a Sunday morning. All the local towers are struggling to keep going."

Learning to ring bells was no different to being taught any other instrument and ringers ranged in ability from recorder players to symphony orchestra standard, she said.

"It's like driving a car. It's about co-ordination and a lot of other things at the same time.

"It's a very nice way of staying reasonably fit. It's technique, it's not strength."

After a ringer had learnt to control the bell on its wheel, they could learn more and more complicated mathematical peals.

Corfe has around seven ringers, mostly of mature years and Carole, a self-confessed addict who has been pulling a bell rope for 10-years, said she would like a pool of around 12.

There are five churches with bells in Purbeck, the others being Wareham, Swanage, Worth Matravers and Kingston, and they helped each other out, she said.

Each church has its own practice night and you could go ringing every night of the week if you wanted, she said.

"It is an absolutely fascinating hobby and so few people know about it," she added.

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Carole on 01929 480620.