Jersey bell ringer to ring for second royal coronation

An 86-year-old Jersey man who rang at both the coronation and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will also ring when the King is crowned in May.

Robin Pittman has been a bell ringer since he was 14 and he now rings bells at St John's Parish Church.

The church and St Mark's Church are searching for more bell ringers to ring for the King on his coronation day on Saturday 6 May.

Mr Pittman said his first ring was for another royal, King George VI.

"My first peal was actually for the death of King George VI, and then I rang a peal the following year at the time of the coronation for Elizabeth II," he said.

Mr Pittman said he stopped bell ringing for about 30 years but after he retired he joined the Jersey bell ringers.

He said ringing for royal events was "like ringing anywhere else really".

St Mark's and St John's churches are the only two places in Jersey with functioning bell towers.

However, the churches said they did not have enough bell ringers to allow them both to ring for the King.

Reverend Beverly Sproats said islanders who were interested in bell ringing were welcome to give it a try.

She said: "We always welcome more people to come and... have a go at ringing a bell over that coronation weekend."

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