Not a clanger will be dropped as eight teams of ringers, including one from Winchester, vie for the annual award of being the best bellringers in Britain.

Winchester Cathedral is to host hosts the 27th National Twelve-bell Striking Contest on Saturday, June 22nd.

The day will start with an official welcome by the Dean of Winchester, the Very Reverend Michael Till at 10.30am in the Paul Woodhouse Suite adjoining the Cathedral Refectory.

The Dean will then conduct a draw for the order of ringing for the eight teams taking part.

Each team will be required to ring a set of 288 changes of Surprise Maximus incorporating two methods, Primrose and Cambridge, and the challenge is to ring these in perfect rhythm.

Thousands of bellringers will be congregating from all over the country to hear the best that Britain's bellringers can offer.

The event is the bellringing equivalent of the World Cup or the Olympics, and this is the first time it has been staged in Winchester.

The Winchester team led by Ringing Master John Colliss is drawn from the Cathedral's own band and the best of other Hampshire towers. Winchester has participated six times before but has never competed in the final until this year.

Participating teams are: Winchester Cathedral; The Ancient Society of College Youths ; St Martin's Guild, Birmingham, he favourites, and winners both in 2001 and 2000; Bristol; St Martin in the Fields, London; St Paul's Cathedral, London; The Society of Royal Cumberland Youths and York Minster.