This year's Christian Resources Exhibition International saw a slight increase in the number of visitors.

Despite the loss of the pavilion, visitors rose by eight per cent - 507 people more than last year.

"It is usual exhibition protocol to reflect exhibitors and their staff in overall figures. With the loss of the pavilion this year, our exhibitor numbers were down," said Paul Trott, head of marketing for CRE parent company Bible Society.

"However, a robust and carefully-structured marketing campaign, and new features in the show, meant that, at a time of recession, we were still able to present a successful show for our exhibitors and even bring a modest eight per cent increase in visitors on 2011."

Exhibition space has nearly sold out at Event City, in Manchester, where a regional CRE will be taking place on 10 and 11 October.

The CRE will also hold its first ever show in Bristol next January and is already planning its long-awaited return to the NEC in Birmingham in October 2013.

This year's CRE International brought together 350 suppliers, charities and missions.

First-time exhibitors Midshire Business Systems chalked up 120 'red-hot' leads and added 1,100 people to their mailing list.

Midshire's Martin Hill said: "We saw a constant flow of people to our stand and engaged with people for all four days.

"We thoroughly recommend CRE to any company wanting to reach church leaders and members.

"It's the first time we've exhibited but we've already booked for upcoming shows in Manchester, Birmingham and Sandown next year."

This year's CRE International was opened by Lord David Puttnam, producer of Chariots of Fire.

He launched special church and community resources created by Damaris Trust to accompany the cinema release of the digitally remastered version of the film in July.

"The world is now very different from 1924, in which the film is set but there are definite similarities to 1981 when the film was made," he said.

"The country was going through recession and the Thatcher government was deeply unpopular. The success of the film, winning a number of Oscars, gave the whole country a boost.

"It also gave us a chance to reflect on the past and perhaps we have an opportunity to do the same today. It still has a lot to say. It is not jingoistic, it is about conscience. It questioned the drive for success and the nature of celebrity.

"Eric Liddell is the quintessence of the spirit we need if we are to see our way through these difficult times."

He told visitors that a dozen people had written to him over the years to say Chariots of Fire had stopped them committing suicide.

During the exhibition, Canon Andrew White, popularly known as the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, won the 'Ultimate Christian Library Book 2012' award for his book "Faith Under Fire".

He said: "This is about my 16th award but is the most important because my wife and adopted daughter are with me today."

Presenting the award, Canon David Winter said: "Words are crucial and ideas should remain free."

He encouraged visitors to pray that Christian books will continue to be placed into libraries. Hundreds of churches buy new Christian books at half price and give them to their local library or school.