RELIGIOUS leaders from across the region - representing a range of faiths - have tonight (Thursday, January 15) united in a service to honour victims of the French terror attacks.

St Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle held the act of remembrance for the 17 people killed in Paris last week.

The service began with a welcome from the Very Reverend Christopher Dalliston, Dean of Newcastle and prayers were led by Assistant Bishop of Newcastle the Right Reverend Frank White.

The Roman Catholic community was represented by Bishop Seamus Cunningham, followers of the Muslim faith by Taj Malik, Sikhs by Sohan Sign, the Jewish faith by Deanna van Der Velde, Zoroastrians by Kersi Fannibunda and Anglicans by Reverend Gavin Wort.

Prayers were said to show their solidarity with Parisians mourning the shocking deaths in the French capital.

The dean said: “Newcastle has always been a place of strong communities, trust and mutual respect.

“In these difficult days, when there are those who would seek to divide and fragment our society, it is important that we stand together as people of all faiths and none in an expression of our common humanity and yearning for peace.”

On Wednesday, January 7, brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi massacred 12 people at the headquarters of the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo offices, after it published a series of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

They led police on a chase for two days before they were cornered on Friday at a printing house near Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Separately, Amedy Coulibaly shot a policewoman and a jogger before killing three during a siege at a Jewish supermarket.

All three gunmen were killed at dusk on Friday by police who are still seeking Coulibaly’s girlfriend Hayat Boumeddiene for her part in the attacks.