CHILDREN from across Oxfordshire have created their own version of the Gospels to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

Hundreds of youngsters from 84 schools decorated individual chapters of the four Gospels to create a set of illuminated manuscripts.

On Friday, the youngsters presented their work to Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, where the bound copy will be kept.

A day of celebration with workshops in drama, music, storytelling and art on the theme of the Bible was held before a service in the cathedral.

Children carried their chapters through the cathedral dressed in four colours representing the four Gospels.

The Rt Rev Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester, said: “The Oxfordshire Gospels are a great way of marking this important anniversary.

“It’s a wonderful thought that these children have created something lasting.”

Some of the illustrations reflect on the local environment, such as the Cowley Mini Plant or the countryside, while others draw on their imaginations.

Rebecca Jeffries, 10, and Harrison Ball, 10, from Aston Rowant School, were among those taking part.

Forty children from the school copied out and illustrated part of St Matthew’s Gospel.

Rebecca said: “I liked how we got to do it all by ourselves. I was very impressed with how it looked.”

And Harrison said: “It was fun. It looked really good.”