Swinging the milk bottle sized instruments above their heads are six people who had never lifted a bell half and hour before.

They are among hundreds reliving some of England's forgotten arts at Lancashire's first ever Traditions Craft Fair, whick took place at the Lostock Hall High School on Saturday.

"Lancashire was once a hot bed of bell ringing," says Simon Rennie, chairman of Maghull Parish Ringers from Liverpool.

"Some bright spark realised that if you get smaller bells than those in the Church tower you can actually do it anywhere. And what better place to take them than the local pub?"

The Tintinnabulationists – the name for bell ringers – are surrounded by other groups also showing off their treasured crafts to the public.

There is the aptly named Natasha Twigg, from Chorley, who is straddling an ancient wooden machine whilst making Gypsy flowers by stripping bark from twigs.

Or Linda Courthold, from the Wirall, who started Quilling as a form of therapy when her friend died of cancer. The self-sufficient card making technique is based on rolling strips of paper then arranging them in colourful designs.

Still going strong is Rag Rugging. It started hundreds of years ago when families would gather round a stone fireplace and weave rugs with scraps of material. Although they did it through necessity, today's hobby version produces home made belts, handbags and shawls that would look equally at home on a Paris catwalk.

"It can be very cheap if you get an old sack and use your own clothes," says Barbara Hindley, from Garstang.

"You just weave the material through holes in the Hessian sack. Most of the time children would have done it so it's incredibly easy."

Barbara tours the country talking about Rag Rugging and sells her products for extra cash. She says it is a brilliant way of recycling.

"People have got so much stuff that they throw away they might as well make some use of it.

"It's nice to have something new that was my old t-shirt or my old denim skirt. I just think there's the satisfaction of having something you can use," she says.

The Rag Rugging workshop is a small part of the fun. Inside the packed hall are stalls selling home made fudge, handsewn bags, paintings and ornaments. With a string band playing traditional folk songs there is not enough time to try everything.

Book binding, song writing, felt making, spindle spinning and jewellery making will have to wait until next time.

Encouraging everybody to try something new is what the event's organiser Angie Bladen prides herself on.

"We really enjoy doing these things so we wanted to give other people the chance to try them," says Angie, who founded the Foolish Friends Community Group to increase awareness of English past times. "I can tell people about it and then see it in action but it's hard to get the whole experience across without actually doing it."

Planning for the fair started in October last year. Angie says the many hours put in have been worth it. " It's taken a lot of organising because it's more than a normal craft fair where people look at products that have been imported. People seem to be having a go at things so it's definitely working."

Opening the event, county councillor Graham Davies who donated part of his allowance to stage the fair said: "I've had a quick look round and there's plenty to see and plenty of things for people to do.

"It's a tribute to all the organising that has gone on to stage this, the first traditional fair they have had here.

"I am privileged to have been asked to donate money towards it."

A weekend of tradional crafts is planned again for June 27 – 29. More information is available from www.madontrad.org.uk.