A VETERAN bell-ringer is celebrating seven decades of ringing out across the rooftops.

Ian Taylor, tower captain of Ulverston Parish Church, was joined in the bell tower by his wife Margaret and a band of bell-ringing friends to mark the milestone.

The grandfather-of-four, who recently turned 85, has been a member of the Lancashire Association of Change Ringers for 70 years, ringing for Sunday services, weddings, the occasional funeral, and significant national events.

He learned the ropes of bell-ringing as a 14-year-old schoolboy in Rochdale, often cycling to help out at other churches in the mill town which had lost ringers during World War Two.

After university and national service Ian moved to Ulverston aged 24, to start work at Glaxo, and he has been helping to ring the six bells of St Mary's - cast in 1836 - ever since.

"I used to be there nearly every night in those days. just enjoying the company as well," said Ian.

"It's interesting, it's absorbing, there's always something to learn, and you meet a lot of nice people. All the bells are different, they all handle differently."

Bell-ringing brought Ian and Margaret together "indirectly" when he took her home after a bell-ringers' Saturday night dance in Ulverston's parish rooms. Margaret soon took up the pastime, and Ian said they had "never looked back since".

Even after he had a serious scooter accident during his first year in Ulverston, and eventually lost his right leg, he was back to bell-ringing as soon as he could climb the flight of 32 stairs to the bell tower.

To celebrate Ian's 70 years, a quarter peal made up of 1,260 changes - or bell-ringing sequences - was rung at Ulverston Parish Church. Lasting 44 minutes, it was the 60th quarter peal Ian and Margaret have rung together, and it was followed by wine and nibbles in church.

"I think we have a reputation for being a happy tower," said Ian, who has no plans to retire.

"If anything stops me from ringing it would be the inability to get up the steps."

The Taylors are now looking forward to their annual bell-ringing holiday, this year to Derbyshire, when they will ring at six different churches every day.