A COUPLE from Wrington who silenced the village church bells for the first time in 100 years after complaining they kept them awake at night have withdrawn their complaint.
Jonathan Apps and Tina Hallett, who live in Priory House opposite All Saints Church, contacted North Somerset Council in December complaining the church chimes, which sound every 15 minutes, were keeping them awake at night.
After visiting the church, council environmental health officers issued Reverend Nicholas Maddock with a noise abatement notice ordering him to switch off the chimes between 11pm and 7am or face a prosecution. But because the church bell chimes are on an automated system and cannot be turned off at night, church leaders were forced to silence the chimes completely – much to the outrage of villagers.
Church bosses have taken legal advice and say they plan to challenge the noise abatement notice.
Now following a series of conciliation meetings between church officials and Mr Apps and Miss Hallett, the couple have said they no longer wish to pursue the case.
But this may not yet be the end of the matter as, because the notice has already been issued, the only options are to comply with it or appeal against it through the courts.
In a joint statement between All Saints Church and the couple, published on the village website, it said: "As a result of conciliation meetings between church representatives and the residents of Priory House, Jonathan and Tina have instructed North Somerset Council that they do not wish to pursue the case about the chiming of the church clock at night.
"The church will continue to work to remove the noise abatement notice served by North Somerset Council."
The statement also revealed how the couple did not mean to cause any offence to the local community by their actions.
It added that they did not ask for a noise abatement notice to be served and have since received threatening and offensive letters as well as been the subject of malicious comments on some social networking sites – all of which have been reported to the police.
Church leaders are now appealing to the local community to welcome the couple to the village.
The statement added: "All parties sincerely regret that much of this episode has been played out in such a public forum.
"Both the church, and, we are sure, the whole of the wider Wrington village community, deeply deplore any threatening behaviour that has been directed towards Jonathan and Tina as a result of this episode.
"The church would like to support Jonathan and Tina in integrating into our village community and to this end would ask and encourage the whole of the wider village community to support and welcome them too."
The couple bought the house for £587,000 last October when the chimes had been temporarily switched off while an £85,000 refurbishment of the church tower and bells took place.
The chimes were switched on again in November, prompting the complaint.
The church, which dates back to the 15th century, has no clock face with many villagers relying on the chimes to know what time it is.
North Somerset Council confirmed it had been contacted by church officials regarding the complaint.
A council spokesman said: "A complaint has been lodged and a noise abatement notice issues,
"Legally it cannot be withdrawn unless the recipient complies with it or an appeal is lodged."
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