The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Townsfolk turn out to parade through town as emotional service for missing
Hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects today as an emotional service took place for missing fiveyear-old April Jones.
A procession of more than 700 people walked slowly through the Welsh town of Machynlleth, as normal life came to a standstill.
Hundreds gathered at the Bryn-y-Gog estate from where April was abducted on Monday evening.
With crowds wearing pink ribbons symbolising the faith many still have that the girl remains alive, the procession moved in subdued silence through the town.
Roads along the route were closed off as the sombre gathering inched its way slowly to St Peter’s Church at the heart of the mid Wales market town.
The schoolgirl’s abduction has shaken the small mid Wales community to the core.
The service yesterday was seen as the start of a process aimed at healing the community.
Speaking before the ceremony, Reverend Kathleen Rogers said: “The realisation is coming on since yesterday when we heard murder – that has hit home.”
Inside the church, Reverend Rogers addressed the congregation, as she offered prayers for April’s parents Coral, 40, and Paul, 44, who did not attend the ceremony.
She said: “We cannot bring little April, our sweet and innocent little girl, home as we had hoped.”
“But our hope has now been moved on to sure and certain hope that she is in the arms of Jesus.
“Coral and Paul may not
“We cannot bring little April, our sweet little girl, home as we had hoped”
be with us thismorningbut we hold them very close in our hearts as we pray for them.
“There are hundreds of people today searching our town, our countryside, our river. Many hundreds more have been searching this last week.
“We thank them and we pray for them as they came to us in our hour of need and they continue to be with us.”
Reverend Rogers said that a service had also been held for the search workers at the local leisure centre.
Bishop of Bangor, Reverend Andy John, said the tight-knit community had “touched the heart of people around the world”.
He said e-mails had been received from as far afield as South Africa and New Zealand – and a church in Texas had even made a donation.
Reverend John extended his thanks to those who had helped including the “extraordinary effort” of mountain rescue teams.
“I want to thank the police for their professional dedication and we’re glad that they’re here for us,” he