A minister tending to those grieving the loss of the seven-man crew of a Scottish trawler has spoken of how the tragedy has devastated the community.

With prayers said throughout the Galloway community for the men lost on the Solway Harvester on Tuesday, the Reverend Alex Currie said local people felt a sense of desolation.

He was speaking during Sunday service in St Ninian's Priory in the tiny village of Whithorn, as people gathered for prayers and to offer each other comfort.

His voice breaking with emotion, Rev Currie said: "As a community we have known much grief and sorrow over this past week and our hearts have been overwhelmed by the tragedy of this event.

"There has been much that we would wish to say and much that we would wish to do for others but we feel so helpless."

Rev Currie said the loss of the scallop dredger crew off the Isle of Man could shake people's faith to the core.

However, he told a congregation including the men's relatives, friends and emergency workers involved in Tuesday and Wednesday's search, that faith was still with them.

He said: "Today, God remembers the families of Craig and Robin and David and John, of Wesley and David and Martin.

"God weeps with them and their tears are surely mingled today with his tears."

Rev Currie read a message of sympathy from the Queen and from other communities affected by the tragedy including Lockerbie and many of Scotland's fishing towns and villages.

Elsewhere, prayers were said by the Catholic Bishop of Galloway, the Right Rev Maurice Taylor, in Whithorn and in churches at Garlieston and the Isle of Whithorn.

Public books of condolence have now been opened in the three villages most affected by the tragedy