The bottom half of the tower still stands and the councillors want to find the original metal cross that stood at the top and reconstruct the building knocked down more than 50 years ago.

Cllr Shane Easom said: "I would think the cross is in someone's garden somewhere. It's not the kind of thing that would have been scrapped. I would imagine someone took it home because it would be quite an ornamental feature."

They also want to track down the quarry for the stones used to build the tower.

The councillor said: "I don't think we'll be able to find the original stones but we want to find out where they were quarried. If the place still exists we could get the right stone for the building."

The top 16ft of the tower was knocked down in the mid 1950s because it was unstable and the council first looked at rebuilding it ten years ago, but were quoted £64,000 for the work, which it could not afford.

Now Cllr Easom says there is £14,000 set aside to spend on the project and they are hoping to negotiate a better price.

The councillors were given a bell by Broxtowe Borough Council, but despite not knowing where it came from or whether it was the original one from their chapel tower, they plan to incorporate it into their scheme.

Cllr Easom said: "It's a key feature of Kimberley, you can see it from everywhere. All other parishes have got their bell towers and it's a shame that one so prominent does not look as it should. It would be nice for the people of Kimberley because it's a focal point."

Anyone with any information should call Shane Easom on 07785347741 or Roy Plumb on 0115 938 3414.