Introducing Dore Christ Church Bellringers - a dedicated team more intent on shattering records than shattering the serenity of a Sunday morning.

You may have heard of them - or at least heard them - especially when they broke a bellringing world record that has stood since 1746.

The team had to ring 10,640 changes of Double Bob Major in a performance lasting nearly six hours to beat the record.

Each of the changes had to be different and it was the job of ringing composer and conductor Alan Reading to ensure they were.

Alan, aged 20, a student at Bristol University, composed every change on his computer and printed them out for the ringers to follow before taking part in the record ring with his dad Simon.

Between them, father and son have rung up 57 years in the bell tower.

Alan started when he was seven and his 54-year-old dad, who normally rings at Sheffield Cathedral, started aged 11.

Simon, a computer programmer from Millhouses, said the record attempt was a high-tech affair.

"For a record to be set a team of umpires is required to listen and where possible watch the entire ring," he said.

"A camera in the ringing chamber was linked to a large screen in the church, where the umpires checked that all the changes were rung correctly.

"Alan also gave them a computer printout so they could double check that every change was different."

Simon said the record attempt was well received by the church's Dore neighbours.

"The bells in Dore are quite quiet and notice of the peal was published in local shops and was well received by local people, several of whom commented on how much they had enjoyed listening," he said.

Simon said many members of the public came to watch and the very high standard of accurate ringing made listening a pleasure.

He also paid tribute to umpires Michael Platt, Stuart Armeson, Peter Scott and Brian Sanders, who worked very hard all day checking the figures.

Simon said the team were taking a well-earned rest after their record-breaking effort.

"In the pub after the ring we were all pretty shattered and we sort of decided that enough was enough," he said.

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