Churchgoers came together on Saturday to join in an event dubbed a Franciscan Safari.

About 250 people attended workshops at four venues across Pinner.

The day centred around a visit by friars from monasteries in Canterbury, Northumberland and Redbridge and nuns from the Poor Clare Monastery in Barnet.

It was organised by Pinner Association of Churches, to encourage unity among Christians in the area.

The day began with a morning service at the methodist church which involved the visiting friars talking about living in a monastery in the modern day.

Workshops were then held in dance, poetry, bread making and crafts and children painted animals on to masks as a tribute to St Francis, who had a great love for animals.

A bring and share lunch was held in Pinner Free Church Hall.

Joyce Eavic, a member of Pinner Free Church and chairman of the association, said: “We loved meeting the friars and nuns.

“They were really down to earth and they made it a very happy day.”

Churches used as venues were Pinner Free Church (Baptist), the Roman Catholic Church of St Luke, Pinner Parish Church (Anglican) and Pinner Methodist Church.

This was not the first time the churches in Pinner came together, as the celebration on Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of a similar occasion. The six churches in the association now hope to hold annual events.