A church bell in Ceredigion village that hasn’t chimed correctly for more than 140 years has been restored to its former glory.

The bell in the tower of St Michael’s Church in Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn, which dates back to the 1600s, was damaged in 1880 when an over-eager wedding goer struck it with a hammer in a bid to make it louder.

This resulted in two pieces of the bell breaking off and altering its sound.

But now, the bell and the hammered away chunks have been reassembled and it has returned to the medieval church.

The bell will ring once more as it was originally intended to sound when made at a foundry in Limerick, Ireland in 1686 and those curious are invited to a special evening next Friday.

The church has undergone extensive refurbishment in recent years and the return of the bell is the latest in a series of renovations.

The bell was sent to a foundry in Northampton to be pieced together and is currently being put back in situ in time for next Friday’s event.

The church is inviting people to come along and celebrate its return from 6pm on 29 November.

Organisers say: “Come and take part in local history and hear the Church bell ring as it sounded for two centuries until it was broken in 1880.

“At last, it is being fixed and will soon be back in the tower.

“Come and hear local historian Gerald Morgan commemorate it’s return and enjoy singing by Ysgol Llanfihangel y Creuddyn and Merched Bro’r Mwyn.

“Mulled wine and minced pies available. Raffle proceeds to Epilepsy Action Aberystwyth.”

St Michael’s is the oldest standing building in the village of Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, and is thought to have been build in 1300, though its origins are likely to be much earlier.