CHRISTIANS marked Good Friday in the towns and villages of the region yesterday.

Among them were about 100 people of all denominations who walked in procession through an east Cleveland town in memory of Christ's walk to Golgotha and the crucifixion.

The pilgrims walked about half a mile in Saltburn's first Good Friday procession.

They walked from the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes to the rail station portico, where prayers were said.

Father Bill Madden, of Our Lady of Lourdes, said: "There was a good crowd. It was good to see so many people there to bear witness."

The procession is likely to be repeated next Easter.

Hundreds of people flocked to a North-East hilltop to raise a cross and join an outdoor Easter service.

The event, at Tunstall Hill, Sunderland, was started 36 years ago by St Cecelia's RC Church, in Ryhope Road.

Originally confined to members of the church, it was opened to all denominations 15 years ago as an ecumenical event.

The Reverend Christopher Collins, Anglican vicar of St Aidan's Church, Grangetown, who conducted yesterday's service, said: "Today's service went very well. The weather was perfect and people appreciated their time together.

"What was encouraging was to see the number of young people involved this year."

The service had initially been threatened by restrictions imposed on the area because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

However, Sunderland City Council relaxed the walking ban to make the event possible.

Human rights activist James Mawdsley took part in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Christ to celebrate Good Friday.

The 28-year-old was freed in October last year from a Burmese prison after serving 14 months of a 17-year sentence for distributing pro-democracy leaflets.

Mr Mawdsley, whose mother Diana, lives in Brancepeth Village, near Durham, said his Catholic faith had helped him during his incarceration.

The former Bristol University physics student helped carry a cross in a procession through Westminster. The ceremony will raise money for the homeless and a human rights organisation.

Mr Mawdsley spent 416 days in solitary confinement in Burma's Kengtung prison.

He said he was beaten by guards wielding truncheons and gravel-filled stockings after he sang Lord of the Dance when all the prisoners were ordered to sing the military junta's anthem.