PEOPLE of all ages gathered in the grounds of Cliffe Castle for a major event staged by Keighley's Catholic community.

Hundreds of pupils and staff from the town's Catholic Schools – Holy Family, St Joseph's, St Anne's and Our Lady of Victories (OLV) – banded together for the occasion earlier this month. (July 8)

They were celebrating the Pope's Year of Mercy, which has been declared to promote the importance of helping the world's less fortunate through showing love, forgiveness and mercy.

John Devlin, executive head teacher of OLV and St Joseph's Catholic Primary schools, was one of the event organisers. He said a total of 500 children participated.

He added: "We assembled at St Anne’s Church for a decade of the rosary led by the children.

"We then took part in a procession to Cliffe Castle Park, following St Anne’s Samba Band.

"At the park Canon Michael McCreadie led the congregation in benediction and the children all sang the hymn Laudate Si.

"The weather was terrible – it rained heavily throughout.

"In spite of this we kept smiling and had a lovely time. The children had packed lunches and everyone had an ice cream.

"There was an art exhibition in the museum with work that the children had prepared, called One God, One World.

“It was a wonderful day in spite of the weather. It was great that we came together to celebrate our great family of schools, our shared faith and the Year of Mercy. We hope to repeat this in future."