Pilgrims make 60-mile trek from Bury St Edmunds to Walsingham

A group of 12 have started a pilgrimage from Bury St Edmunds to Walsingham, charting a distance of 60 miles.

The effort was organised by the Radio Maria England team and the Catholic Diocesan Youth Service.

It began yesterday with a service at St Edmund's Catholic Church.

The group decided to begin the walk at the ruins of Bury St Edmunds Abbey.

This was to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the Abbey's founding, which the town is celebrating this year.

Along the designated route, the group will take in a number of historic sights.

Their journey draws together two famous sites of historic pilgrimage, both locations being the destination of English monarchs.

One of the organisers, Ciaran Losasso, said: "Pilgrimage allows us to venture to places where people say they have encountered God.

"It also allows us to join in a time-honoured tradition, to meet new people and take stock of our lives, away from the hustle and bustle.

"Walsingham, in particular, is a place where people remember how, in the Bible, Mary agreed to God's plan and said 'yes' to being the mother of Jesus. It's a place that helps us to consider what we might need to say 'yes' to in our own lives."