Durham Cathedral Shop hosted the launch of two inspirational books for the Lent period.

Canon Dr Stephen Cherry was launching his Barefoot Prayers: A meditation a day for Lent and Easter, while Dr David Bryan was launching Jesus - His Home, His Journey, His Challenge.

Dr Cherry is a residentiary Canon at the Cathedral and Director of Ministerial Development for the Durham Diocese.

In his book launched on Sunday, he weaves together prayer-meditations that offer simple yet profound spiritual nourishment for the season of Lent.

The starting point for Barefoot Prayers is the idea that prayer can be fitted into even the busiest life.

"I am delighted that the book has come out in print. It started with me taking a notebook and jotting down some spiritual meditations when I was away," said Canon Cherry.

"I kept collecting them and received some good feedback from people, saying they were very accessible and moving.

"The idea is that people can take the book with them on the Lenten journey and it will be spiritually stretching."

Dr Bryan, director of studies with Lindisfarne LTP, a joint venture between the Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle, draws on his extensive knowledge of Jesus studies, his experience of present-day Israel/Palestine and his own life and ministry to offer a challenging and engaging picture of the historical Jesus.

Philip Law, of publisher SPCK, said: "SPCK certainly is proud to be publishing these two very different but brilliant new books by authors based in the North East. In this case, it's a happy coincidence that both are being promoted at the same time as Lent books but it a reflects the creative links that we have built up with a range of great writers from that part of the world – both long-established and brand new."

Watch a video interview with Dr Cherry here: