SIR - We can all be thankful that Hitler's hordes never invaded Britain. We were ready for them, though. Or so we thought.

Our local defence volunteers rapidly developed into a credible fighting force, ready to spring into action as soon as church bells sounded.

That was what worried bellringers. Who was going to sound the warning that enemy forces had landed? Bellringers were aware of the hours of patient practice needed to develop the skill of handling a bellrope. They knew how a bell could be swung higher and higher yet hardly emit a sound; how it could be easily overturned; how a rope could come sneaking down to coil round the neck of an unsuspecting ringer and snatch him high into the air. Yet when they volunteered their services they received a cold- shouldered rebuttal.

One hesitates to imagine what casualties our gallant Home Guard might have inflicted on themselves.

All this was very hush-hush at the time and very few people outside bellringing circles will have heard the full story behind the wartime ban on the ringing of church bells.

John Hinton, Worcester.