A PEACE candle burning brightly in an Ipswich church, symbolising the hopes of many as the first bombs fell on Baghdad.Prayers for peace are being offered in churches across the country today as the Americans began the long awaited conflict in Iraq.

A PEACE candle burning brightly in an Ipswich church, symbolising the

hopes of many as the first bombs fell on Baghdad.

Prayers for peace are being offered in churches across the country today as the Americans began the long awaited conflict in Iraq.

Churches in Ipswich were open ready for those to offer prayers for those involved or to sit in silent contemplation of what the future might hold.

At St Mary at the Elms Church, in Elm Street, Ipswich, people have been gradually making their way in since yesterday to pray for a peaceful end to the conflict as quickly as possible.

Reverend Haley Dossor said: "We lit a candle for peace yesterday.

"We are just praying that everything will be over as soon as possible and some peace can be rebuilt in Iraq quickly.

"There have been various views about whether we should go to war or not.

"But everyone is very anxious that now we have gone to war the loss of life should be as minimised as much as possible."