EASTER Sunday will be extra special in Evesham as the Carillon in the world-famous landmark the Bell Tower will play after a silence of nearly 10 years.

For over 120 years the people of Evesham heard tunes played on the bells in the Bell Tower five times a day and generations were brought up to the sound of Drink to Me Only on Wednesdays and Barbara Allen on Fridays.

"If you were lucky and someone had changed the drum which controlled the tunes, you might have heard the Eton Boating Song on Wednesdays," said John Turner, a member of the Parochial Church Council and who has been responsible for focusing the fund-raising for the restoration of the Carillon.

He explained: "This tune was included all those years ago after a request by members of the Evesham Rowing Club. Present members may be relieved to hear that it will be heard again."

In all there were 14 tunes available but over the years the mechanism became very worn and about eight years ago the sounds coming out of the tower weren't recognisable as any identifiable tune so, said Mr Turner, it was disconnected.

"Many were very concerned at the possible loss of something that had been part of the life of Evesham for so long," he said. "So a committee from All Saints Parish Church, which has responsibility for the Bell Tower, and from the Friends of the Bell Tower was formed to restore the Carillon."

So far £28,000 has been raised, with grants from Wychavon District Council and Evesham Town Council boosting local fund-raising activities, and £16,032 from the Market Towns Programme under Advantage West Midlands funding. There is still a shortfall of £5,000 to be found.

The Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Rev Dr Peter Selby, dedicated the Carillon last night and after the switch-on on Easter Sunday it will play at its traditional daily times of 9am, 12noon, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm.

Over the years, the number of bells in the Bell Tower has grown from eight in 1878 to the present 14 so there is a much greater scope for the choice of tunes. "There will be 53 tunes available," Mr Turner said, "and those who remember the old system will have some surprises - there will be variety and no longer will one tune be set to play all day, thanks to modern technology."

There will also be groups of tunes to play at the various church seasons, Easter, Harvest and Christmas, as well as old folk tunes. Most are familiar but one or two more recent hymns have been included. A special discovery was a piece composed by Edward Elgar called the Evesham Andante.

Mr Turner said: "He used to play in Evesham and this is his tribute to the town. It will be a great pleasure that it will now be often heard playing in the town for which it was written."

He added: "There are so many in town, or come to town, who have never heard the Carillon playing and so for them it will be something quite new."

The Bell Tower band of ringers practise regularly on Wednesday evenings and ring on Sunday mornings, and there are many visiting ringers in the Tower throughout the year. Evesham's bells are renowned world-wide as some of the finest anywhere, and in addition to hearing the ring in the way for which they were designed, Mr Turner said: "It is also going to be a joy to hear them playing tunes as well."