visiting ringers at Service ringing Oliver. Phillip George is quite correct, as were the actions of the Bedford tower captain. (I do not ring anywhere near Bedford, by the way.)
I would do exactly the same at my home tower on a Sunday morning - ring as many bells as I could, as well as I could. I would place my bands and probably suggest to anyone who asked to ring a specific bell, when I was unsure how they might ring it, to join us on practice night, when this option would be allowed.