Christchurch bells ring out for godwits and spring

The church bells rang out in Christchurch yesterday to celebrate the arrival of bar-tailed godwits from the Arctic Circle, 11,000km away.

The birds' arrival traditionally signals the start of spring in the Garden City.

To mark their arrival, the bells at the Christchurch Cathedral rang out for half an hour, while a plane circled the city with a banner announcing the arrivals.