Vicar praises Soham's 'goodness'

Holly and Jessica were best friends

The vicar of Soham has praised the community's response to the deaths of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who disappeared a year ago.

The Reverend Tim Alban Jones said the way the Cambridgeshire town had pulled together showed "goodness was stronger than evil".

The Wells and Chapman families are spending Monday's first anniversary away from the town and no special services are planned to mark the day.

Mr Alban Jones, the vicar of St Andrew's Church, urged the public to respect the community's privacy and stay away.

The way residents had supported each other during the year heartened him, he said.

He said: "What has happened in the last 12 months in this community has shown that community spirit is alive and well.

People from all over the country and abroad are clearly still very deeply moved and touched by all that went on in Soham Reverend Tim Alban Jones St Andrew's Church Reverend's reflections: Full text

"I have always believed that goodness is stronger than evil and what has happened in Soham over the last 12 months has reinforced my belief in that."

Mr Alban Jones also wrote a meditation, reflecting on the tragedy, to mark the anniversary.

On 4 August last year Holly and Jessica, both 10, vanished shortly after being seen walking near their homes.

Their bodies were found in a ditch near Lakenheath, Suffolk, two weeks later.

On Sunday police said: "The parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman will be spending the anniversary with their immediate families away from the Soham area.

"They wish to thank people for their kind thoughts and hope people appreciate their desire for privacy at this time."

Special prayer

Soham's Methodist minister, the Reverend Alan Ashton, has written a prayer to mark the anniversary, praying for "peace and justice" to be established and "death and despair" to be defeated.

Two people have been charged in connection with the girls' deaths.

Ian Huntley, 29, a former caretaker at Soham Village College, denies murdering the girls but admits conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Maxine Carr, 26, denies helping an offender and perverting the course of justice.

They are due to stand trial at the Old Bailey, London, on 6 October.