IT MAY be classed as art but it was also a very satisfying way of ringing in the start of the Olympics .

Around 30 people turned out on Poole Quay on Friday morning to swing, ting and shake a variety of handheld bells as peals of church bells could be heard through the town.

At 8.12am residents of Poole and Bournemouth did their bit with three minutes of cacophony, joining thousands throughout the land, including the Great Bell of Big Ben which rang 40 times in three minutes.

Gathered near the Sea Music sculpture on Poole Quay, town Mayor Cllr Carol Evans, tinged her bicycle bell and took along her belly dancing miniature cymbals to hand out.

Residents enthusiastically rang a variety of handbells, Parkstone Sea Cadets took along their ship’s bell hung from a broom handle, Cllr Mark Howell was there with a large bell and everyone made as much din as they could.

“It was a bit impromptu,” said the Mayor. “It was really fun and it went well. I was really pleased and we made a lot of noise.”

And at Fisherman’s Walk bandstand in Southbourne , around 100 people brought along their bells to ring in the historic occasion.

Cllr Chris Mayne said: “Everyone really embraced the occasion and welcomed in the Olympics in style.

“I had a couple of bells and most people had brought them to join in. It was great.”

The mass ding dong was the brainchild of Turner Prize winner Martin Creed, who encouraged people to ring everything from doorbells for his Work No 1197 piece of performance art.

It was the first time since 1952 that Big Ben had departed from its schedule and the event was triggered by the firing of canons on HMS Belfast, moored on the River Thames.

Among churches taking part was All Saints in Western Road, Branksome Park where the vicar, Canon John Byrne and his wife Gill rang the 1877 church’s single bell from 8.12am to precisely 8.15am.

“We did it to join in the community welcome of the Olympic Games,” said Canon Byrne. “My wife said she had never rung the bell. We both enjoyed it. It was good fun.”