Good Friday celebrated in churches across the region

• ITV Meridian reporter Mary Stanley speaks to families and Canon Kathryn Percival at Portsmouth Cathedral

Churches across the south have been holding Good Friday services, after many were cancelled last year because of the pandemic. 

Last year's Good Friday service at Portsmouth Cathedral had to be socially distanced, but this year everyone was encouraged to get involved by helping to build an Easter garden.

The garden features three crosses, which are made from lolly sticks and hills made from potatoes and astro turf.

Children were asked to help pot flowers to add to the creation.

The garden helps tell the Easter story and the death of Jesus, with the tomb covered by a stone.

On Sunday however, the stone will be rolled away to represent the resurrection.

For the church, Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the death of Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of man.

The resurrection of Jesus will be celebrated on Easter Sunday. It's a symbol of new life, love, hope and joy.

Canon Kathryn Percival said "Ukraine is on all our hearts from the smallest to the oldest of us this year and everyone knows that there's something terrible going on.

"What I hope everyone will take away from this service is that the suffering we know in our world and in ourselves is transformed through what Jesus does for us at Easter.

"The suffering won't go away but we have that light and that hope in Jesus, who died for us and shows us that there is life beyond all the pain of this world."