WITH football in church (above), and a large bouncy castle, Blackburn Cathedral had an all-night lock-in for fun and worship that drew more than 100 young people and 40 youth leaders from around the diocese.

The youth event "Sanctuary: Love Never Ends" was one of the biggest ever staged by the Church of England in Lancashire. It had been organised by the diocesan board of education, and included music and dancing, arts and crafts, and plenty of food.

It started with a collective act of worship, led by the Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Revd Julian Henderson, who said that it was "great to gather young people in the cathedral, and do things different from what people expect to happen in church". The diocesan youth officer, Kat Witham, said that it was a fantastic night. "All the young people got involved and shared their experiences, questions, and ideas. . .

"There were loud moments, including everyone doing aerobics at 6 a.m., but there were also quiet and still moments, including some girls choosing to light candles and pray at 4 a.m."