SPECIAL prayers for the five women who were killed after being taken from the red light area of Ipswich were being said at the town's St Mary At The Elms church at a special carol service today.

SPECIAL prayers for the five women who were killed after being taken from the red light area of Ipswich were being said at the town's St Mary At The Elms church at a special carol service today.

Parish priest Father Haley Dossor is also chaplain to the southern area of Suffolk police which is based at the main Ipswich police station - located next to his vicarage.

He was preparing the church this morning for the lunchtime service which was expected to attract a significant congregation of office workers and other people from the town centre.

Fr Dossor said: “People do feel a need to come together at this time and we will be saying special prayers for the victims.

“I am aware this is something that has affected everyone in the town and we are expecting a large congregation,” he added.

As well as his own prayer, Fr Dossor was also using a special prayer written by Rev Bruce Wakeling, chaplain to the Suffolk Police headquarters in Martlesham.

Today's prayer written by Fr Dossor is:

Lord Jesus, we remember today those whose were murdered in Ipswich, and who worked so close to this Church.

We pray for Gemma, Tania, Anneli, Annette and Paula, that their troubled souls may be at rest.

We pray that your eternal light will shine upon their families and friends who mourn their deaths .

We pray too for the person who committed these deeds, that he may confess and repent of his sins, and be taken out of society to a place of safety for him and for this community.

And we pray for ourselves, who still enjoy the light of this life, that the glitter of this world may not dim our hopes of eternal glory.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen

Revd Bruce Wakeling, wrote this prayer for Ipswich:

Lord Jesus, who came amongst us at the first Christmas

so that the people who dwelt in darkness might see your great light,

lighten our darkness at this time of sorrow and fear.

We pray for those who have been killed,

that you will look in compassion on their troubled lives and deaths;

for their families and friends,

that you will strengthen them in their grief and helplessness;

for our police, who on our behalf are facing hard and unpleasant work,

that they may be sustained and upheld in what lies before them;

and for us all, that your love and protection may be outstretched over us,

now and always.

Amen.