A GROUP of warm-hearted children really believed in saying it flowers after a special church service...

The children from the Junior Church were celebrating St Anne’s Partronal Festival, in Lydgate.

And, as part of the festival, they distributed posies and bunches of flowers they brought to recently bereaved, housebound, ill and older members of the congregation.

Rev Pat Gillian, Curate Saddleworth Team, said the celebration of St Anne's Partronal Festival ceased a few years ago.

She went on: "However, last year my granddaughter Hannah Manifold, queen for that year, decided she would like to start the tradition again so flowers were brought and distributed.

“This year our current queen, Francesca Lloyd, also decided along with her retinue they would again collect and distribute flowers this years service was led by Sharon Jones.

“And on the day before the festival, we had a wedding at St Anne's and the bride and groom kindly offered Francesca her pew end flowers to go towards the distribution.

“This considerably increased the amount of flowers, bringing a lot of happiness all round.

“Hopefully, going forward future queens will carry on the tradition as it is good for the children to see the happiness and outreach that can happen.”

During the year the queens represent their own church at other church events and fund-raising for their local church and usually a charity of their choosing.