More than 1,000 people attended the first day of Autumn Alpha courses at HTB, the church where Alpha was founded.

Artist Charlie Mackesy spoke at the opening sessions of the morning and evening courses.

The evening course was so popular that the queue for guests awaiting registration snaked all round the church and half way up the driveway.

Vicar Nicky Gumbel and his wife Pippa welcomed everyone and spoke of their excitement at the beginning of the new courses.

Hundreds of HTB members are involved in leading groups, serving food and helping in a wide variety of ways.