A WEEKEND of music and flowers will be held in Madresfield in the hope of boosting an appeal to get the church bells ringing.

The belltower at St Mary the Virgin has been silent for about 12 months, after a particularly energetic bout of ringing brought one of the bells crashing loose from its mounting.

A £25,000 appeal to fix the mountings and lighten the bells slightly was launched at the end of last year and has so far raised about £5,500.

On Saturday and Sunday (June 21 and 22), the church will host three concerts and displays of flowers in at attempt to increase the appeal total.

At 10.30am on Saturday, there will be a coffee concert, featuring a programme of music performed by children. Tickets are £2.50.

At 7.30pm, The Chantry Singers from Bath will be performing English Choral Music Instrumental interludes, priced at £6.

On Sunday, the Voluntary Choir of Worcester Cathedral will sing a Sunday Morning Choral Eucharist before a buffet lunch, at a price of £6.50.

At 3pm, Malvern Hills Brass Band will perform, before the day is concluded with cream teas. Tickets are £4.

An inclusive £10 ticket for all three concerts is also available.

The vicar, Rev David Nichol, said he hoped the concerts would raise people's awareness of the appeal.

"The bells are very much part of village life since the church was built in the 1860s. People do comment that they miss hearing the sound of the bells across the fields."

For more information, call Mr Nichol on 01905 830270.