THE sun shone on Good Friday morning as Churches Together in Settle and District staged its annual passion play in the streets of the town.

It started with the Last Supper at St John's Methodist Church before Jesus (Maurice Walters) and the disciples walked to Gethsemane (the Millennium Garden).

In the Market Square, the High Priest, Caiaphas (Ray Jones), heard evidence against Jesus, but Pilate (Michael Cullingworth) stood up on the Shambles and eventually, at the crowd's request, freed Barabas instead of Jesus.

So, to the beating of a drum by a Roman soldier, the crowds walked to Golgotha in the grounds of the parish church for the crucifixion.

"It was a moving event," said Judith Allinson from Churches Together. "It is the eighth year that the passion play has been performed.

"We are grateful to John Diggles who organised the sound system and to the people of Holy Ascension Parish Church who provided refreshments afterwards."