Unholy row over prized 12th-century church bells

A COUPLE who bought a historic church are in a right old ding-dong with the council after removing bells deemed "priceless".

- By Tom Bevan

The pair insist they stored them along with some plaques for security reasons, but officials have demanded their return.

Mark Huitson and Rachel Bonde bought Holywood Church near Dumfries in 2019.

They claim the "priceless" bells are "among the most significant and valuable medieval discoveries in Scotland" and are linked to the Knights Templar, a Christian military order founded in 1118 to defend pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.

The pair lost an earlier appeal - and claim they intend to return them once the category B-listed building is sold.