THE historic bell at a former Bolton church is to be saved.

What was St Paul's Church in Deansgate, Bolton, is being converted into apartments.

But thanks to the efforts of John Greenhough, from Leicester, the church bell, which dates back to 1865, will be removed and stored until a new home for it can be found in Bolton.

He said: "I have recently completed a survey of all church bells in Greater Manchester. Predictably, most were cast in the 19th and 20th centuries by the professional bellfounders in London and Loughborough, with only a few of local origin

"Of these, the single bell in the former church of St Paul is particularly interesting."

The inscription on the bell reads "Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Presented to St Paul's Church by John Hick December 1865'. Mr Greenhough said: "The fact that it bears no other founder's name or badge and has an unusual shaped top strongly suggests it was made by Hick Hargreaves at the Soho Ironworks in Bolton.

"Only one other bell is known to have been produced by this firm, at St Lawrence Longridge in 1840."

Mr Greenhough, along with his friend Matthew Smith of Eayre & Smith Bellhangers, based in Derbyshire, are now waiting for the approval to remove the bell.