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A number of Abbots parishioners were stunned and concerned when they witnessed a local bell ringer being rescued by firefighters, after suffering a stroke at the top of a local church. The incident happened on the first day of the month at St Lawrence Church, when the fire brigade were called to lower Angela Harris, 66, of Garston, over the balcony of the ringing chamber after she became ill. Paramedics were called to the High Street Church at around 8.20pm, when Mrs Harris collapsed in the tower after ringing a near 900 lb bell during a weekly practice. They were unable to stretcher the stroke victim down a steep wooden staircase from the belfry, which resulted in the fire brigade using a number of ropes and ladders to lower the recently retired community worker. The paramedics treated the ill Mrs Harris in the tower while they waited for the brigade to arrive, before four fire engines turned up and lowered her down from the bell tower, which sits roughly 20ft above the church floor. Elsewhere, it is not uncommon for ringing to take place in isolation, with access via a spiral staircase or even a ladder. Some towers have held practice removals of a patient with the local brigade to determine the best means. Occasionally, the only way is upwards and out over the side at the top of the tower, which is what occurred in this case.
Head bell-ringer at St Lawrence Church, David Harris, who is of no relation, said he had feared that Mrs Harris might be yanked up into the tower by her bell's slack rope as she fell ill. He was also worried that the rope could well have wrapped around the vulnerable women’s neck, but luckily it didn’t come to this. As members of the bell-ringing group, trained in first-aid, helped Mrs Harris, Mr Harris rushed down the belfry staircase and out of the church to call the emergency services. John Sutton, Secretary of the St Lawrence bell-ringers, told My Abbots that seeing the fire brigade outside the church brought back horrible memories of one thing. He said: “Memories of the dreadful fire of February 1969 came flooding back.” Mr Sutton said the bell-ringers, who meet to practice every Monday, included a retired nurse who was able to help their fellow ringer. Mrs Harris, who started bell-ringing about two months ago, was taken to Watford General Hospital, where she is recovering.
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