THE new Bishop of Blackburn will officially take up his post at the end of March, it has been announced.

The Ven Nicholas Reade, 56, will be enthroned in Blackburn Cathedral on March 27.

Prior to that ceremony Mr Reade will be consecrated as a Bishop at York Minster on March 2 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

Mr Reade will be the eighth Bishop of Blackburn and succeeds the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, who retired last year after 14 years as Bishop.

Mr Reade is currently the Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings in Sussex.

He grew up in Sussex and Guernsey, read theology at Leeds University and trained for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield. He was ordained in 1973.

His appointment was announced in August last year amid controversy in the Church over whether homosexuals were allowed to become bishops.

Mr Reade said the issue of whether the church should allow gay bishops was a "awfully, awfully difficult issue" but said he did not believe a practising gay man should become a bishop.

He also faced questions on the controversial issues of women priests and racist politics.

Mr Reade is married to Christine, an RE teacher, and they have one daughter, Clare, who works in the finance industry.

On May 29 there will be a community and multi-faith event at the cathedral to welcome Mr Reade.