MPs and church leaders from North Yorkshire today backed the military action against Afghanistan.

And they spoke of their hopes for a speedy end to the conflict and for minimal civilian casualties.

York MP Hugh Bayley said: "Military action is necessary to stop terrorists carrying out further attack but the legal and diplomatic moves must continue.

"Civilian casualties must be kept to a minimum, and every effort must be made to get as much aid through to the refugees as possible."

John Grogan, the Selby Labour MP, said today: "With the imminent onslaught of the Afghan winter, it was inevitable that military action had to start."

Liberal Democrat Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Phil Willis said: "Since September 11, everybody has been holding their breath, hoping that President Bush would deliver a carefully-considered response that will cause little damage to the civilian population of Afghanistan."

John Greenway, Conservative MP for Ryedale, said: "The action is wholly justified.

"What the Prime Minister said in Parliament was clear - if the Taliban do not hand over bin Laden there would be military action.

Lawrie Quinn, Scarborough's Labour MP and secretary of the Saudi Arabian group in Parliament, said he fully backed the action. "My first thoughts are with the British servicemen who are out there and their families. This is not about Islam, this is about terrorism."

The Archbishop of York conceded that hostilities against Afghanistan had become inevitable.

Dr David Hope said recently in an exclusive article for the Evening Press that war must be a last resort. A spokesman for the Archbishop said today he had been impressed that every consideration had been given before the decision had been taken to begin hostilities.

He said Dr Hope would like to pay tribute to the diplomatic initiative that had been under way since September 11.

"Dr Hope urges everyone to pray earnestly for the swift and effective resolution of the current situation."

He said it was important to pray for the friends and families of British servicemen becoming involved in the conflict, as well as for the people of Afghanistan.

Updated: 09:42 Monday, October 08, 2001