At 16.5 tonnes, the biggest in Britain is Great Paul, in the south west tower of St Paul's. Brian is one of the band of regular ringers of the peal of ten bells at St Lawrence's parish church, Appleton - and his Uncle Frank is the tower captain.

The oldest bell on which he has worked is one dated 1220, at the village of Ragged Appleshaw in Hampshire.   The newest, until those for Milton arrive, are the bright new pair which have been standing in the forge and which will augment the peal of six at Albrighton near Wolverhampton, to eight.

They were awaiting fittings before going to their new home. As well as work for churches in this country, Whites have projects from as far afield as Canada, Australia, Zanzibar and the West Indies. These usually involve preparing the fittings for new bells commissioned in this country, or bells bought second-hand. They are then shipped out together with instructions for their hanging by local installers.

Apart from the extra interest generated by the millennium, bellringing continues to be a popular pastime. "There is more and more interest these days," says Brian. "Ringers can travel on the motorway to Comwall and back again in a day to ring a three-hour peal of 5,000 or more changes." So the future for Whites of Appleton seems as secure as it ever has been.