A new venue attracted a large congregation for Thurlestone Parish’s annual Sea Service, with worshippers gathering outside the Bantham Estate office for this year’s event.

Held on Sunday, July 12, the service took place at the new estate office by permission of the owner of Bantham Estate, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher.

The annual service honours those who work at sea, including fishermen, merchant seafarers transporting goods from overseas and the crews who risk their lives rescuing people in danger at sea.

Residents from Bantham and Buckland joined those from Thurlestone, with organisers saying attendance from the neighbouring villages matched – and possibly exceeded – that of Thurlestone.

Members of other churches in the parish group also attended, creating what attendees described as a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the outdoor setting.

The service was led by the Rev Colin Snell, who brought the biblical story of Jesus calming the storm to life with the help of children acting out the scene.

The impromptu performance featured an assortment of makeshift props, including small bottles of mineral water and an Amazon cardboard envelope.

The celebrations concluded with a specially adapted sea shanty, performed by a group of enthusiastic local singers. Organisers joked that both the lyrics and the performers may have been assembled in the nearby Sloop Inn.

After the service, worshippers stayed to enjoy homemade cakes and coffee while catching up with friends and neighbours.

Organisers said the gathering had been a success and thanked the Bantham Estate for hosting the event.

Following the event’s success, many of those who attended left expressing hope that the service would return to the same venue next year, should permission be granted once again.