South Yorkshire Times December 5, 1959
Church Bell Rope Hitch at Denaby
The Parish Church was nearly without a bell on Sunday to call the parishioners to worship. For some time rain had been seeping into the Church from the belfry and when workmen were on the roof and in the belfry carrying out repairs, the bell suddenly began to ring and nearly hit one of the men. It was discovered that some children had entered the church and pulled the bell rope and had also removed the coat and cap of the man up aloft. These were discovered outside the church.
To make sure that no further attempts at ringing were made during the repairs, the bell rope was pulled up into the space between the roof and the belfry and the work proceeded. Later the workmen left but forgot to let down the bell rope which was drawn high up in the chancel.
When the Vicar went into church for evensong he found the bell rope missing and gazing aloft saw only a yard or so of the rope dangling from the high roof. He immediately contacted the contractor concerned who came out with ladders but could not reach the rope. Fortunately the repair ladders were still on the roof and in the dark an entry was affected from outside the belfry and the rope was lowered from the recess into which it had been drawn.
It was then possible to call in the worshippers in the usual way.