by Jamie Bullen

A church could be prosecuted for the second time in three years after four bell-ringers suffered a near fatal dose of carbon monoxide.

Church wardens dialled 999 after a 62-year-old woman collapsed in the bell tower and another man suffered dizzy spells.

The church volunteers were overcome by toxic fumes that had spread from a faulty boiler in the tower's cellar.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to St Botolph's Church, in Northfleet, on Sunday morning.

Gravesham Council is now investigating the incident with support from the Health and Safety Executive.

In July 2009, Tony Cresswell, 54, fell 20ft through the tower floor.

On that occasion, the church was fined £3,000 after the Parochial Church Council admitted failing to maintain the structure in a safe condition.

Kent Police has not ruled out the possibility of criminal proceedings over the latest incident.

Hundreds of people visited the church for Remembrance Sunday, with services scheduled inside the church and at a war memorial outside.

The team of six bell ringers entered the tower at 9am and began pealing bells before abandoning them 20 minutes later.

Paramedic Russell Timms said the bell ringers had "cherry red faces", which is symptomatic of a near-fatal dose of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The 50-year-old said: "We were met by the church warden, Wendy Waller, who said that a lady had collapsed in the bell tower.

"The patient was short of breath and unresponsive.

"The warden explained that a boiler had been recently serviced in the bell tower and the other bell ringers had smelled fumes."

Four members were taken by ambulance to Darent Valley Hospital and the remaining two were traced by police officers, who advised them to undergo tests.

Blood tests showed all six were exposed to carbon monoxide, but they were all released the same day.

Engineers attended the church on Sunday afternoon to switch off the gas supply.

Southern Gas Networks spokesman Laura Varney said: "We are glad the bell ringers were found in time and released from hospital without any lasting damage to their health, and we wish them a speedy recovery."

The council's health officers were due to meet church officials on Tuesday to discuss the incident.