IT'S a case of money for new rope when bell ringers came up with an idea to raise money for a good cause.

Father and son team Laurence and Stuart Bennie, who are members of the band of bellringers at St Michael's Church, Chagford, will be taking part in a 24 hour sponsored silent bell ring on Saturday, July 11, to help raise money for the New Rope Guides Fund.

The band needs to raise more than £4,000, plus VAT, to reroute ropes and a new rope guide for the eight bell tower.

Laurence Bennie, aged 47, from Whiddon Down, and his son Stuart, 18, decided to take up the daunting challenge of ringing all day.

The pair will be ringing more than eighteen and three quarter hundredweight of the number eight tenner bell.

Laurence, who has been bell ringing for more than 30 years, told the Times: 'We needed some sort of fun event to raise money so why not this. I'm not sure if it's been done before but its something different — so going to give it our best shot.'

Laurence and Stuart will be taking turns of one hour each on the eight tenner bell.

It's going to be quite a physical effort and the pair have been doing some weight training to get into shape for the silent bell ring.

The other members of the bell ringing band will be joining in with the other tower bells during the event.

People are most welcome to come along on the day to see the action in progress. To help with the fundraising there will be different events at St Michael's during the day, which starts at 9.15am.

There will be a coffee morning, afternoon tea, a raffle and there will be guided tours of the tower for people to enjoy.