The Bishop of Chelmsford has taken to the streets of east London to meet the public as part of his penultimate pilgrimage of the year.

Bishop Stephen Cottrell walked his ninth pilgrimage last week from Woolwich to St John the Evangelist, Seven Kings.

Once he has completed his tenth and final walk, he will have covered all five London boroughs in the Diocese of Chelmsford.

Rev Jonathan Evens, of St John the Evangelist, walked with Bishop Cottrell for the last leg of his day-long 11 mile journey.

He said: “Bishop Cottrell was telling us about his experiences - he is very good at chatting away.”

On the walk, two schoolboys asked Bishop Cottrell about his crozier and he was happy to explain why he was carrying it, according to Mr Evens.

“It is something that is fairly visible,” he said. “Bishop Cottrell found out they were both Christians he said he would pray for them, if they prayed for him.”

Mr Evens said he would have been unable to walk the whole journey.

He said: “I am not as fit as the Bishop, so probably not.

“From his point of view it is about getting out and about, getting to know all sorts of people.”