THE Bishop of Worcester had a busy morning praying for the people of the city on Ash Wednesday.

The Bishop, Rt Revd John Inge, along with six others from the city centre parish of All Saints, invited people making their way along Worcester High Street yesterday morning to suggest prayers to them.

During the hour the team were there, 60 prayers were collected — a prayer a minute.

The Revd Peter Davies, who took part in the event, said: “Lent is when Christians reflect on their lives and the life of society and of the world and bring all before God thanking him for the good and seeking to change the less than good. Every one of the sixty requests for prayers we collected told its own story — some were thanksgiving for the joys and successes of life, others were requests to help with pain, suffering or bereavement. As another member of All Saints said, 'It is a great honour to be allowed for a few, brief moments into the confidence of a complete stranger’s life and hold their concerns before the God who loves them'.”

Bishop John said: “Each Ash Wednesday we head out on to the streets of the Diocese offering to pray for individuals. We’ve always found that people have really appreciated somebody taking the time and interest to pray for them and any problems or concerns that they’re currently experiencing."