A recording of bells broadcast through a public-address system at a Lanarkshire church has not received a ringing endorsement from neighbours.

St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, in Uddingston’s Lower Millgate, have erected four speakers on a 20-ft post outside the building.

Villagers say the “tinny” sound of the bells can be heard every day of the week: three minutes at noon and 6pm, Monday to Saturday – and before morning, noon and evening mass on Sundays.

One villager this week described the sound as “raucous” adding: “I’m several streets away and I can hear it with the door shut.”

It was also claimed that the structure was erected without planning permission.

St John the Baptist parish priest Father Dominic Towey said: “We are disappointed and hurt that in 21st century Scotland there is still a small minority who seem offended at the sound of Christians, in this case Roman Catholics, being called to worship by a church bell.”

• Full story at the Hamilton Advertiser.

• Filed under Glasgow, West + Ayrshire, Music, Roman Catholic Church, Scottish Christian News Monitor.