THE Bishop of Blackburn said the Iraq crisis had filled the last few months with "as much gloom as I can ever remember" in his annual Easter sermon.

And he used a Biblical story to send a warning to voters about the forthcoming local elections.

The Rt Rev Alan Chesters said that it was a '"powerful message" to remember that "all are made by God" as elections approach.

And he urged people to pray and protest to help the "human mess" affecting Iraq as he preached in Blackburn Cathedral.

The Bishop added that Christians should also pray for the Foreign Secretary, Blackburn MP Jack Straw.

He said: "In the Bible, Peter the Jew transformed from the old way of looking down on some people into seeing that in the new Easter life all are made by God.

"As the local elections approach what a powerful message that offers us for community relations in East Lancashire."

Speaking about the conflict, the Bishop, who has a son in the armed forces but who has not been called up to Iraq, said that he had been horrified by the images of war on television.

He said: "Firstly as the inevitability of war with Iraq grew, prayer and protest did not seem to be answered in the actions of either side.

"War came and the horror of human suffering, which for Christians is encapsulated in Jesus's crucifixion, was hourly on our TV screens.

"The past few months have been filled with as much gloom as I can remember.

"A costly price has been paid, and for many families this Easter Day is spent in mourning for the dead or caring for the injured. In that human mess we celebrate the new life of Easter; the promise of a new beginning.

"We must pray and protest in whatever way we can that such renewal comes to Iraq.

"We have a Christian duty as we continue to pray for the member of Parliament for this town and his heavy responsibilities to insist on that."