CHURCHGOERS in Petersfield and Buriton marked Easter and prayed for the town and the world in a non-stop five-day prayer vigil.

More than 50 people from churches in the town took part in a 120-hour pray-athon in the week leading up to Easter.

Held in the Salvation Army Hall in Swan Street, worshippers were able to visit 18 prayer stations to pray for world events, and events closer to home.

Petersfield Salvation Army Captain Linda Read said: “We cancelled everything in the hall for the week. Prayers were offered for the people of Brussels, people who were victims of human trafficking, and for local homeless people and for the reduction of poverty in the town.”

On Good Friday scores of people took part in Walks of Witness in Petersfield and Buriton.

In Petersfield almost 100 people from different churches walked behind crosses from the Methodist Church in Station Road, along Lavant Street and through Rams Walk, stopping along the way to hear Easter Bible readings.

The walk ended in the The Square for a service, with refreshments afterward in St Peter’s Church.

In Buriton more than 40 people turned out in the sunshine to walk around the village, a large wooden cross leading the way, and there were stops to hear Bible readings.

Children collected different coloured sticks at each stop to help make their own cross.

At the last stop outside St Mary’s Church in the village, the children’s crosses were laid at the foot of the large wooden cross.

The walk finished with coffee and hot cross buns.

Traditional Easter services were held in churches across the district.