Points to note:

• Start lowering by catching higher on the sally, and taking up a little tail.

• Steady the sally with just one hand ONLY when you are certain that the bell won't stand itself and is swinging quicker.

• Once the tail is sufficiently long, take up the first coil.

• Don't worry too much about checking the sally when you are learning, it's much more important to keep a taught rope and guide the rope vertically. Just as when ringing a raised bell.

• Try to keep both hands together on the rope (one above the other). No gap between them. You are then braking the swing of the bell with both arms.

• Feed the coil a little at a time. That's how you progress higher up the rope.

• Once the sally only rises a little at the 'hand' stroke, stop steadying it. Concentrate on straight vertical strokes.

• You should stand firmly with feet slightly apart and one foot a little in front of the other.

• Don't allow the rope to slide through your top hand, there is a danger of catching a digit in one of the tail loops.