LEDBURY people will be hearing bells for three hours this Saturday, when the Ledbury Church Bell Ringers take to their tower to celebrate, in their own special way, to 70th wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip.

The chimes will be sounding out from the tower of the parish church, St Michael and All Angels, and they will be special chimes to mark an extraordinary occasion.

However, the ringing of peals to commemorate special Royal occasions is becoming something of a Ledbury tradition by now.

Mary Anne Keyes, Secretary to the ringers, said: "There will be an attempt to ring a peal of Plain Bob Triples on the bells of St Michael and All Angels, Ledbury starting at 12.30pm on Saturday November 25.

"Most of the band will be locals who ring regularly before services at the church. Four of them have taken part in most of the recent peals commemorating events in the life of our Queen, such as her 80th and 90th birthdays and the celebration of her reign as the longest of any British monarch."

She added: "A peal on eight bells lasts a little over three hours and is a major feat of concentration for those taking part."

The Ledbury peal, in fact, will come five days after the Queen's actual platinum wedding anniversary, which fell on Monday, November 20.

It is believed the Queen and Prince decided not to publicly mark their 70th anniversary, but to opt for a low-key dinner party instead, with friends and family.

A close friend of the Royal couple is reported as saying they could not face celebrating the anniversary in public after losing so many friends over the last few years.