SEEN but not heard, the 10 strong peal of bells in Blackburn Cathedral were removed for recasting in August 1948.

Extra weight was added to each bell so it would ring louder, in keeping with the cathedral status granted to the building in 1926.

Six of the bells had been cast in 1737 - from metal of even earlier bells it is believed - and originally hung in the tower of the old parish church.

They were joined by four others in its replacement in 1852.

Here we see the bell before it was sent to the bell-founders to be enlarged.

Bells are recast if they are in poor condition to the extend they affect the tune.

Recasting involves reusing the usable portions of the metal of the old bell to make a new bell, rather than simply replace all the old material.