There is never a dull moment for Herefordshire's oldest church bell ringer.

For 80 years Leslie Evans, aged 92, has pealed the bells at his local church in Eardisland where he has been a long-serving tower master.

These days if he is not caring for the bells, which he says are the best in the county, he can be found at home making garden seats and benches

He has made dozens over the years and has given many of them away either in memory of a bell ringer who has passed on or to raise money for the Air Ambulance, St Michael's Hospice or local churches.

So when Mr Evans read the Hereford Times story about six lady bell ringers planning a bell-ringing marathon at Ewyas Harold to raise money for the Charles Renton Cancer Unit at the County Hospital, out came the hammer and saw again.

In a week, he had completed yet two more garden seats and donated them to Jo Gilbert and Jenny Lawrence and their four colleagues as a gift, to raise funds for the cause.

They said they were touched by his generosity and were planning how best to gain benefit from the present.

Mr Evans, who said he had never asked for a job in his life, was born at Mansel Lacy.

He moved to Eardisland in 1924 and started bell ringing there at the age of 12.

For a time, he worked with his father, who was a wheelwright, moved into farming and then switched to the building trade.

Never wanting an idle moment, he said making wooden seats gave him something to do.

He will be one of many supporting Jo Gilbert, Jenny Lawrence, Jane Mason, Jo Hall, Diane Foster and Frances Watkins when they attempt a 5040 Plain Bob Minor at Ewyas Harold Church on Saturday, October 1.

The team, who have 175 years of bell-ringing experience between them, want to mark the start of Breast Cancer Week as well as raising money to try to extend the services offered at the Charles Renton Unit.