CAMPANOLOGISTS pulled for all they were worth in hope to a-peel to judges.

A national contest at Tewkesbury Abbey saw 80 bellringers compete.

Teams of 10 took part in the competition which has been running at the Abbey for 37 years.

Contestants travelled from Reading, Worcester, Oxford, Hereford, Birmingham and Bristol, as well as London and Oxford Universities, and each used the same ringing method – Cambridge Surprise Royal – on ten bells.

The Oxford Society team won the day with, in second place, St Martin's Guild.

Claire Redstone, office administrator at the Abbey, said: "It was a very close contest.

"It's one of the premier bell-ringing competitions in the country and attracted a lot of people."

The bellringers were competing for the Tewkesbury Shield, a limited edition Spode plate mounted in silver.