A NORTH-EAST market town marked Easter with a joint service by various Christian faiths.

The Christian community represented by Churches Together in Chester-le- Street, County Durham, came together in the town’s Civic Heart yesterday.

Representatives from the faiths met at St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Church, in Ropery Lane, and walked in a procession down Front Street, to the Civic Heart where a Good Friday service was held.

Today, the atmosphere will become noisy and family-focused.

The fun will start when Chester-le-Street’s town crier, Marjorie Dodds, announces details of the afternoon’s entertainments.

The list of performers is made up of old and new friends of the town.

They will include traditional African gumboot dancers, Peruvian band APU, the Ukulele All-star Orchestra, Antonio Lulic, award-winning street hiphop dancers Bad Taste Crew, and many more.

There will also be a range of fun activities for all to take part in such as facepainting, a junk music workshop – creating musical instruments from recyclable materials.

Prayers in the open air

THE Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright, led an open-air Good Friday service yesterday.

More than a hundred people joined Bishop Wright for the lunchtime service in Crook, County Durham.

Clergy and parishioners from Churches Together in Crook gathered at the town’s Royal Corner to pray and commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion.

Bishop Wright said: “When people heard of the death of Jesus the reaction at the time was the reaction people have today, of misunderstandings.

“As they walk on or drive by they know there is a cross here, they may remember it is something religious but they don’t really know what it means.

“It was just like that at the time, so we shouldn’t feel bad.

“From the moment he offered himself totally and freely we could come through him to offer ourselves to God.”