And churches around the region celebrated Palm Sunday with processsions and services.

April 8 is designated Easter Sunday around the world.

But it was marked with a series of services a week early at Peterborough Community Church, in Staplee Way, Parnwell, so people could go away for the bank holiday weekend.

The congregation, which included some 40 nationalities and hundreds of youngsters, sang along with a worship team, before the presentation titled For You got under way.

There was singing, dancing and drama and a thought-provoking talk by Senior Pastor Dave Smith during the hour-long service.

He talked about Amazing Grace, the hymn written by John Newton and film portraying the part played by William Wilberforce and his part in the abolition of slavery.

He also talked about how we let past pains, today's pressures and tomorrow's pessimism weigh us down and urged people to forget the past and entrust their future in God's hands.

Children were treated to their own special service in a separate hall with a temporary mini zoo, with new-born lambs, guinea pigs and geese.

Afterwards Mr Smith said: "We're celebrating the events of 2,000 years ago, when Jesus came, died for our sins and rose again victorious.

"It's been absolutely fantastic. we've had between three and four thousand people join us."

The church auditorium now has a capacity of 1,200, after new tiered seating was introduced to help with increasing numbers.

Mr Smith said: "The bottom line is we can fit so many more people in, and this is why we're here, to actually see lives transformed.

"I'm increasingly aware of God's love for people and this is what it's all about. There are so many individuals who have got no hope, no real sense of fulfilment, and it's humbling to help them find God's purpose for their lives."

In Thornhaugh more than 50 parishioners marked Palm Sunday – the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem riding a donkey as a mark of humility – with a procession through the village of Thornhaugh.

Canon Thomas Christie said: "Many people from both Thornhaugh and Wansford came along, and this is the first time in several years that the procession has been held in Thornhaugh rather than Wansford.

"We started at The Green and processed down to St Andrew's Church, singing All Glory Lord and Honour, and once in the church we sung Ride On, Ride On Your Majesty.

"The organist was Christopher Guy, former master of music at the cathedral."

He added that Leonard DuPisanie and Andrew Sharpley did a fantastic job of reading The Passion with him, which the congregation then joined in with.