THE CHEVIN cross is to stay up for weeks longer than normal to mark a special time of prayer for Otley.

The cross, put up every Easter, would normally have been due to come down this weekend. But this year it will stay up until the end of May.

Churches Together in Otley has set aside the period between Easter Day and Pentecost (or Whit) Sunday, May 24, as a time of prayer for the town. Hundreds of people will be involved – from all the main churches, as well as many others who pray regularly but don’t go to church.

Well over 100 people have already volunteered to specifically pray for a street or an aspect of Otley Life – including sports clubs, schools, the hospital, doctors’ surgeries, the town council, the food bank and local businesses.

A special prayer has been written and the public are invited to use it, or to pray in their own way with or without words.

Vicar of Otley Graham Buttanshaw said: “Of course we always pray for our town, and many churches do this in a planned way every week, but this is something special we feel called to do.

“Christians from different churches will pray in every street and location in Otley. It’s exciting because we don’t know why we’re called to do it or what will happen, so we’ll pray and watch and see what does happen.”