bold statement: Schoolchildren and parishioners at Neston Church join the Make Poverty History campaign (30414/1)A CHURCH was wrapped up in a huge banner as part of a global drive to make poverty a thing of the past.

The five-yard banner, decorated by children from the village primary school, toddler group and playgroup, was wrapped around Neston Church on Wednesday.

It read Make Poverty History and was part of a week of action, organised by the Trade Justice Movement, which will be joined by millions of campaigners worldwide.

They are calling for the Government to put trade justice, not free trade, on the agenda for the G8 meeting in July.

Trish Fallows, trade justice lobbyist for Neston, said: "It's an education for people, the G8 Summit is in this country this year and we really need to get it onto the agenda that the rules need to change so poor people can trade out of poverty.

"We were wrapping up the church to suggest we are wrapping up poverty."

Parishioners will also wrap a banner around St Cyriac's Church, Lacock, on Sunday, to join the campaign.

Villagers there have spent all week making a white band from old sheets.