A PACKED St James's Church in Colwall greeted Terry Waite, the Church of England special envoy who spent over four years as a hostage of Islamic terrorists in the Middle East.

Mr Waite's visit, which followed the church's Forgiveness Project in Lent, gave him the chance to talk about his life and experiences.

Anne Lanyon-Hogg of the church said: "His visit was a significant event for Colwall and our whole local area, for Terry Waite is a significant person in our lifetimes."

She said his account of how he his captivity in Beirut was "inspiring"

"He survived by using life-affirming principles of no regrets or self-pity at his situation, supported by his faith and prayer, and looking always for creative ways of using the extreme suffering he was experiencing," she said.

"His continued love for all, and his commitment to bringing people from both sides together to generate creative solutions, was compelling."

All proceeds from the evening were donated to Mr Waite's charity, Hostage UK, which does vital work with families caught in hostage situations.