Church bells are ringing out again in an historic area of York, following a 20-year silence.

The two bells at Holy Trinity Church, Micklegate, have not chimed since at least 1984, after they were declared unsafe.

Now Sunday morning churchgoers are once again summoned to worship by the dulcet tones of the medieval sanctus bell, which produces a light, sharp peal, and the sturdier notes of its heavier 18th century companion.

The Archdeacon of York, the Ven Richard Seed, said he was delighted the bells were back in working order. "Thanks to these bells, a little melody and music has been restored to the Micklegate area. It's quite an historic event, as they have been silent for such a long time. When we chimed them for the first time on Sunday, they sounded lovely," he said.

Independent church bell consultant David Potter began to restore and clean the bells earlier this year, helped by local bell historian David Bryant, who is also library assistant at York Minster, where both men are bellringers.

Mr Bryant said both bells were originally cast in York, the larger one in around 1370 and the smaller in 1731.

"The extraordinary thing about the medieval bell is that it bears a Latin inscription naming the person who made it.

"The inscription reads: 'Johannus Potter me fecit', which translates as 'John Potter made me'. The smaller bell was made by Samuel Smith I," he said.

Both bells were rehung using the original oak framework, which is believed to date from the building of the church tower in 1453. Worn and decayed fittings which had rendered the bells unsafe to ring were replaced with new fittings, and each bell was equipped with new chiming levers and clappers.

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, October 28, 2004