Pilgrims celebrate the consecration of St Aldhelm (17101)AROUND 30 pilgrims arrived in Bradford on Avon on Saturday to mark the 1300th anniversary of the consecration of St Aldhelm as Bishop of Sherbourne.

The pilgrims, who included the current Bishop of Sherbourne, Tim Thornton and the Bishop of Ramsbury, Peter Hullah, were put up for the night by local residents.

The next morning members of the local church joined the pilgrims in a procession from St Laurence Church to Holy Trinity Church.

Festivities began outside St Laurence with the hymn, With the Saints Whose Stories Stir Us, which was specially written for the occasion by Rosalind Brown.

New organist Gareth Bennett was dropped in the deep end on his first day.

Church spokesman Anne Holland said: "He probably didn't realise it was such a big occasion, but he did excellently."

The colourful procession then headed towards Holy Trinity, led by the two bishops and the church choir.