THE Bishop of Blackburn has joined forces with his counterpart in India to appeal for fresh information about student hostage Paul Wells.

The Rt Rev Alan Chesters has gained agreement for the Rt Rev Anand Chandu Lau, the Bishop of Amritsar, to channel information from Northern India to Paul's parents Bob and Dianne.

Posters appealing for information about Paul, of Bracken Close, Feniscowles, Blackburn, will be distributed in English and Kashmiri Urdu with the appeal also being launched on the Internet.

The posters read: "If Paul and the other hostages are dead, then their families need to know so that they can perform the religious ceremonies for the dead.

"If they are alive, then their families need to be reassured of their well-being."

Bishop Chesters said: "All those of us in Lancashire who have worked with and prayed for Paul and his family since his capture in 1995 are immensely grateful for the ready co-operation of the Christian leaders in the Church of North India in this fresh appeal for news about Paul and his colleagues."

The appeal has been underwritten by the Rev John Cree, the vicar of Paul's parish in Feniscowles, Blackburn. He has also established contact with Father Johnathan Pallor, a priest at a Christian church in Srinagar.

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