AS MPs prepared for Tuesday night's historic Brexit vote, a silent prayer vigil was being held for them by dozens of churchgoers hundreds of miles away.

Around 70 people gathered at Stricklandgate Methodist Church in Kendal to pray for "a just and good decision, free from bias, prejudice and self-interest," said the Rev Jeff Thomas, a retired minister.

"What we were doing was praying for the Government that it might be able to vote with a good heart and a real concern for unity and the nation," said Mr Thomas, who helped lead the vigil from noon until 6pm.

He told the Gazette there had been "a very, very positive, warm response" to the six-hour event.

It gave people an opportunity for silent reflection, lighting candles, and writing their own prayers on cut-out paper doves, which were then hung on a prayer tree.

Prime Minister Theresa May's deal met a crushing defeat on Tuesday night, with the package setting out the terms of Britain's exit from the EU on March 29 rejected by 230 votes.

Among tho 432 MPs who voted against the deal were Westmorland and Lonsdale's Tim Farron (Lib Dem), John Woodcock for Barrow and Furness (Independent) and Lancaster and Fleetwood's Cat Smith (Labour).

Conservative MPs who backed Mrs May included Penrith and the Border's Rory Stewart, Morecambe and Lunesdale's David Morris, and Skipton and Ripon's Julian Smith.

Retired minister Mr Thomas said the outcome was as he had expected. He told the Gazette he was certain that prayer made a difference, although this could not be measured and was "not always experienced in the way we expect it".

With Mrs May facing a vote of no confidence last night (Wednesday), Mr Thomas said the PM needed "a lot of prayer".

The vigil drew people from as far afield as Appleby. It was put together by Mr Thomas and Marc Jackson, lay pastor at Stricklandgate Methodist Church, in response to people's worries "about the state of the nation and the need for unity".

"The majority of the event was for people to be silent, to be reflective, but in the company of others - that was the important thing," said the retired minister Mr Thomas.

"Afterwards a lot of people had a cup of coffee and discussed the situation and that's when they said thank you because it meant a lot to them."

He added: "It's a serious situation, we need to get it resolved. That's why we had the prayer vigil."