Pope Francis has made a surprise visit to Amatrice and other towns in central Italy devastated by an earthquake six weeks ago. <br /><br /> The Vatican had kept the trip secret until Francis’ arrival. <br /><br /> The head of the Catholic Church had expressed his wish that it be made in private in order to be closer to those affected. <br /><br /> Addressing residents on a car megaphone the 79-year old Pontiff said: ‘‘I wanted to come earlier but I didn’t because I thought that, in the first days of so much pain, my visit could have perhaps been more a hindrance than a help.’‘<br /><br /> Nearly 300 people were killed and 4,000 left homeless by August’s 6.2 magnitude quake. <br /><br /> Most of the buildings in Amatrice, which was virtually destroyed, were either flattened or considered too badly damaged to live in.<br />
