The sound of people singing hymns were heard through the streets of west Wiltshire today as the March of Witness processions took place.

Congregations from churches throughout the five towns joined in the marches to tell the Christian story of Easter and Christ’s crucifiction and rise.

Pat Duggan from Palmer Road, Trowbridge, took her two grandchildren Kelsey Shaw, 6, and Jenna, 5, from Stevenage, to the United Reform Church in Church Street where the procession began from on their way to the town park.

Mrs Duggan said: “I think it is nice for them to know the story of Jesus and it is very interesting for them to be able to follow it and get first-hand experience of the march.”

Street pastors marshalled the event, organised by the Christian Action for the Trowbridge Area group, instead of the police who did it last year.

David Goldstone, chairman of Street Pastors Trowbridge, said: “We are trying to mark in people’s minds that Jesus died on the cross for us. We are taking a public stance saying ‘here we are, we are Christians’.”

Eleven-year-old Zoe Van-Tintalen and her friend Ellie Sherwood, 11, both from Trowbridge wore green crowns with pictures on the side depicting the death and rise of Jesus.

Marches also took place in Melksham and one in Bradford on Avon, which left from Westbury Gardens and ended in Christchurch where hot cross buns and games were provided.

A gathering organised by Westbury Churches Together was held at the Methodist Church, Station Road, before a procession was taken through the high street. A service was then held at the West End Baptist Church, in West End.

Steven Baggs, minister of All Saints in Church Lane and Holy Saviour Church in Westbury Leigh, was one of the musicians on the march who played the flute for people to sing the hymns along to.

He said: “It was a good turn out and it is nice to get all of the different churches together to mark the occasion really.

“We sang three hymns and finished our march on Market Square.”