A ten-day festival of music, theatre, art, discussion and prayer will fill Malmesbury Abbey next month.

The church’s Holy Week Festival will feature a concert by rising singer songwriter Luke Leighfield, nationally acclaimed theatre group Riding Lights and Malmesbury School’s Frock Band among other attractions.

The ten-day celebration is timed to coincide with Holy Week, which marks the last days of Jesus’ life, his death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Abbey vicar Neill Archer said they were packing a lot in.

“We’ve had to make it longer than Holy Week because we have so much stuff going on,” he said.

“About five years ago we felt that not much happened at the abbey during Holy Week.

“But when art students from Malmesbury School put up an exhibition of work looking at the stations of the cross that became the catalyst for much more.

“Since then we’ve brought in artists, comedians and a dance group. The idea is to use music, art and drama to explore the community and spiritual element of Holy Week.”

The packed schedule, which can be viewed in full at the church’s website www.malmesburyabbey.info, will see the abbey being used nearly every day leading up to Good Friday and culminating with an all night vigil from midnight to 6am on Easter Sunday and a dawn service.

Among the other activities taking place will be the showing of animated movie The Miracle Maker featuring the voices of Ralph Fiennes and Richard E Grant, a prayer labyrinth on the abbey floor, Malmesbury born soul singer Sally Archer and an opportunity for people to ask questions of faith at an Agnostics Anonymous session.

Meanwhile, volunteers have helped Mr Archer spruce up the abbey in the run up to Holy Week by painting its railings.