Hundreds glimpse remains of saint

St Therese is sometimes referred to as the "little flower"

Hundreds of people have joined a queue in Oxford to view the remains of a 19th Century French Catholic saint.

The Bells of St Giles pealed for 30 minutes before a casket containing relics of St Therese of Lisieux arrived at Oxford Oratory on Wednesday.

The remains are being taken on a 28-stop nationwide tour.

St Therese was a French Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis in 1897, aged 24. She was described by Pope Pius X as "the greatest saint of modern times".

She is sometimes referred to as the "little flower" and came to wider attention after her autobiography was published.

So far her relics have been taken to 42 countries, over the last 15 years.

The remains, carried by six sixth form boys from the Oratory School, arrived at 1800 BST.

There will be a mass with Bishop William Kenney later.

A holy hour will also be held from 2130 BST, for students and sixth formers, and an all-night vigil will be held from midnight.

The relics will remain in Oxford until Thursday afternoon.