A lifelong bell-ringer has made history after becoming the oldest person in the country to complete a marathon ringing session.
Jack Long, who turns 90 tomorrow, completed a full peal at St Peter's Church in Newnham-on-Severn, Gloucestershire - a remarkable feat that involves ringing the church's seven bells more than 5,000 times without repeating any sequence.
The challenge took the Lydney resident three hours of continuous ringing to complete.
A full peal represents the ultimate test in bell-ringing; it's the maximum number of unique sequences possible with seven bells, with no combination repeated even once.
Chris North, tower captain at Newnham, explained the pressure involved.
"We have one chance to get it right, there's no stopping, pausing or fixing things and then starting again. It's quite a mean feat," Mr North said.
The attempt requires extraordinary focus and stamina. Each of the seven bells must be rung thousands of times in precise patterns, demanding total concentration throughout.
There's no room for error either - if something goes wrong, the entire attempt fails and can't be restarted.
The peal took place at St Peter's Church in Newnham-on-Severn
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Mr Long's love for bell-ringing began eight decades ago when he first learned the craft aged just 10.
That was in 1945 at St Mary's Church in his hometown of Lydney, where he discovered what would become a lifelong passion.
By the time he reached 22, he'd already accomplished his first full peal - an impressive achievement for someone so young.
He's been a regular helper at St Peter's Church for decades, which makes his choice of venue particularly meaningful.
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A full peal is the maximum number of unique sequences possible with seven bells, with no combination repeated even once
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"Newnham bells used to be hard work but now they are a dream - the bell hangers did a good job," he said, referring to the restoration work completed in 2019.
Speaking ahead of the bell-ringer's feat, Mr North continued: "Jack Long is admired across the whole of Gloucestershire and, if successful, it will be a privilege to erect a new peal board in our ringing room to record such a significant occasion."
He went on to say the feat was not only a physical challenge, but also a mental one.
"As long as your technique is right, it's more about the mental stamina and the concentration that's needed and your knowledge of the method."
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