A GROUP of ministers in Northwich will be praying for peace during the war with Iraq.

The Northwich Evangelicals is made up of 15 ministers who hold monthly prayer meetings.

The Rev Rob Munro, of Davenham, Leftwich and Kingsmead parish, said the group finds it very difficult to justify the war.

He said: "We are going to be praying weekly for peace and for protection. We all have a responsibility to work for peace.

"We want to encourage people to join us in prayer. Jesus called for Christians to be peace makers."

The Rev Ross Rennie, of the Northwich Christian Fellowship, has spoken out about his concerns and beliefs.

The Rev Rennie, who served in the British Army, said: "I have been working in Cambodia and seen the victims of war and the devastation it causes.

"As a local minister in the town who raises money for the local charity I feel very strongly about it.

"My role in the community gives me a platform that other people do not have and that is why I am speaking out.

"I believe what Britain and the US are doing is totally immoral and wrong.

"A bomb cannot decide for itself who it maims or kills, it just goes off.

"We have friends in Baghdad and are very concerned about them.They have been in contact with us and are very frightened.

"If it were a just war, then we would give it our support but it is not."