ON November 11, 1918, church bells across the land rang out to announce the end of the First World War.

Now a Hampshire family will recreate those joyful sounds when they join thousands of other campanologists across England to recreate the historic day.

Claire Partridge, 30, from Chandler’s Ford will ring the bells in St Mary’s Church Bishopstoke as part of Ringing Remembers – a national campaign to honour the male bellringers who lost their lives in the Great War.

Her great great grandfather was the vicar at St Mary’s Church in Longstock near Stockbridge.

He wasn’t called to fight but the male bellringers in his parish were – meaning that women from the village had to step in to sound the bells.

Claire, a project manager at Southampton University, says bellringing is a very inclusive activity, and she comes from a long line of bellringers.

Claire said: “It’s a uniquely English thing. No one else in the world does it. But you can be involved at any level. You don’t ever really become an expert because there’s always something else to learn.

“It’s so inclusive because you can do it at any level.

“On Armistice day it is said that the bellringing wasn’t very good, because the women could only do it when they felt able. The English style is all patterns and meant to be very rhythmic.”

Claire and her family got together at St Mary’s in Longstock to recreate a photograph of her great great grandfather and the female bellringers he recruited - in the hope of encouraging others to join in the Ringing Remembers campaign.

The November 11 event will see “the vast majority” of England’s 5,500 bell towers brought back to life by bellringers new and old.

Organisers from Ringing Remembers are encouraging others to get involved - even if they’ve never rung a bell before.

Jamie Singleton from Ringing Remembers said: “There’s still plenty of time to learn enough to take part in November.”

If you would like to take part contact your local church or go to the Ringing Remembers website