Teddies take to the skies
Daredevil toys zipped through the air watched by their excited owners in a Boxing Day event with a difference.
The bellringers of St Oswald's Parish Church, Oswestry organised the Teddy zipwire challenge to encourage families to get out into the fresh air and to raise funds for the bell tower.
The owners of the toys, from whether teddies or dolls or dinosaurs, climbed the 100 plus steps up the tower onto its roof for a magnificent view of the Shropshire plain to the east and the Welsh hills to the west.
They then went back down the steps and out into the churchyard to watch their toy be strapped into a special harness and zoom down to earth.
Children can see their favourite teddy or new doll take to the air in a zip wire challenge.
Ellie Walsh, seven, and her five-year-old sister, Emily, went to the church with parents, Darall and Sam and their teddies.
Sam said: "We came last year and the girls remembered it and wanted to come back today. It is great to be able to get out and do something that doesnt cost a fortune. The views from the top of the tower are brilliant and it was the perfect weather."
Tower captain, Brian Rothera, said proceeds from the day would go towards the maintenance of the church bells and also for a project to create a bell ringing teaching centre.
“We would like to be able to teach people not only from St Oswald’s but other churches,” he said.
“We ring here at St Oswald’s on Sundays and Thursday evenings and we are always looking for new bellringers, old or young. You can start learning at the age of 10 or 11, if you are tall enough and can continue all your life.”
