“Overflowing with love and very friendly" was Londoner, Simon Wright's, impression of the Jesus Army's street parade. Simon, 41, and his family were on Trafalgar Square when the Jesus Army danced in for their festival, which Simon described as "exciting and colourful".

"More then a thousand of us went stomping in London" grins Jesus Army member Aidan Ashby, 20. "This was the Jesus Army's annual noisy, colourful 'London Day' when we take our passion to the streets of the capital".

"It was great to see" enthused Arnold Dalene, a visitor from the US. "I was in the park by Buckingham Palace, near the lake, and I faintly heard the singing. I followed the sound and found the march!"

"It wasn't all young men: older men, young women, children, older women, babes-in-arms, toddlers in buggies, you name it" explained a Jesus Army leader, James Stacey, 34. "The Jesus Army wants to show that God's life is real and attractive and brings real freedom to people. It wasn't a protest march; it was a celebration of life."

The march climaxed on Trafalgar Square with a three-hour festival.

"It's one of our major opportunities in the year" enthuses Aidan "to demonstrate that God is alive today, and so is His church".

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