A FLAME from Bethlehem is burning in Whitefield.

The Peace Light from Bethlehem has been brought to All Saints' Church, Stand as part of a thirty-year-old tradition begun in Austria.

Scout leader Peter North brought the flame from the Church of St Anne and the Blessed Dominic in Sutton to All Saints' with Canon Alison Hardy.

Mr North said he was 'delighted' to have been a part of the tradition as he had been trying to get involved for many years.

The light which has travelled more than 3,000 miles will burn in the Whitefield church until the Epiphany on Saturday.

Mr North said: "I heard about the Peace Light a couple of years ago and wanted to get involved.

"And I was delighted to be able to collect the light this year.

"It promotes peace and the idea is when one collects it they take a message of peace with them."

The Austrian Broadcasting Company began the tradition in 1986 and a child from Upper Austria was chosen and taken to the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Each year a child from Austria goes to Bethlehem to collect the Peace Light from the Eternal Flame in the Grotto and a distribution service is held in Vienna.

The lights then make their way across the world.

Mr North said the Deep Sea Scouts of the UK brought the light to Dover to be distributed throughout the country.

On Tuesday, December 19, a distribution service was held in Sutton and the next day, members of Scouting and Guiding from across Prestwich, Whitefield and Radcliffe welcomed the Peace Light in All Saints’ Church, each person bringing a message of peace which they attached to a prayer tree.

Local soprano, Nicola Fox sang two solos during a service at the church, which was attended by the Mayor of Bury Cllr Dorothy Gunther and members of the congregation.

On Christmas Eve the church held a Crib Service and member of the Scout group brought the Peace Light to be the Star of Bethlehem.