THE Bishop of Chichester helped serve breakfasts to homeless people then hit the streets of Brighton as part of a day to mark the start of Lent.

Dr Martin Warner started Ash Wednesday (February 10) at St Joseph's Catholic Church, in Elm Grove, where homeless people had spent the night under the ecumenical night shelter scheme.

The Anglican bishop was welcomed by the Roman Catholic episcopal vicar of Sussex, Reverend Kieron O’Brian, and met with volunteers including people involved in Crossover Brighton – a charity supporting vulnerable people.

After sharing breakfasts Bishop Warner went on a walking tour distributing coffee and pastries to homeless people, led by David Bolton from Crossover Brighton.

Dr Warner was also accompanied throughout the day by Bishop Emmanuel, the Bishop of Bo, West Africa, who is visiting the parishes and people of the Anglican diocese of Chichester. The Diocese of Bo covers the southern and eastern half of Sierra Leone.

In the afternoon Dr Warner joined local clergy at the Market Cross, Chichester, where they offered lunchtime shoppers the chance to have the cross marked in ash on their foreheads.

Lent reflects the forty days and nights Jesus spent in the wilderness and prepares Christians across the world for Easter.

It is usually a day of reflection and fasting when Christians receive the sign of the cross in ash on the forehead.