BLACKBURN'S newly-arrived Dean is already aware of the trust and community spirit in the town and is determined to build on its firm foundations.

He has moved from the other side of the country but knows Blackburn escaped the summer riots which blighted other Lancashire towns.

The Very Rev Christopher Armstrong is very keen on the humanitarian "shoebox" scheme, which involves people putting small items such as toothbrushes, soap, gloves and a cuddly toy into a box and sending it to children who may be starved of items which many of us consider basic essentials.

"It would be very good to have a pan-religious exercise for people of all religions to express their common humanity in working on a project which is not for themselves, but for their brothers and sisters in a deprived part of the world.

"It is a small project, but it builds trust. There is already a lot of trust in this area because it has not been blighted by the riots in some other northern towns," he said.

Mr Armstrong, 53, also wants to develop even closer links with the Muslim community. "There are not many ethnic groups in Scarborough, where I have come from, but we all owe allegiance to one creator. It is important to build on that and I want the cathedral to continue to play a part," he said.

Luckily for the new Dean and his family, the reception from townspeople has been much warmer and more welcoming than the weather.

Coming from the east coast, the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong is used to sunnier days. "It was quite a shock for everybody, including the dog, but I'm sure we will adjust," he said.

His predecessor, the Very Rev David Frayne, retired in September but in his nine years in East Lancashire worked hard to build links with schools and groups in the wider community.

Now Mr Armstrong, who takes up his appointment today, aims to build on the Church's involvement with the community and is keen to support the town's regeneration plans.

"There is an imbalance of wealth in the town and I hope the regeneration will benefit the poorer people specifically," he said.

The Dean and his family -- wife Geraldine, daughter Sarah and sons Simon and Jonathan -- made Scarborough their home for 10 years but Mr Armstrong admitted his eyes lit up when he saw the Blackburn post advertised.

He has local family connections; his parents dlive in Waddington and Clitheroe before retiring to Cheshire. His father, John, who died earlier this year, was a lay reader in the Blackburn diocese. Mr Armstrong, who was vicar of St Martin's in Scarborough, was previously domestic chaplain to the Archbishop of York.

Mr Armstrong wanted to pay tribute to the staff at Blackburn Cathedral who held the fort following the retirement of Mr Frayne. "There are some very skilful and resourceful people here," he said.

The timing of his arrival was planned to coincide with the run-up to the busiest time of year in the Christian calendar, allowing him to meet and be seen by thousands of visitors to the cathedral.

"The warmth of the welcome has been overpowering -- in contrast to the weather," the Dean said.

He also paid tribute to Blackburn with Darwen Council for its work in the town centre. "We were warned that the road system was appalling, but it is a bit like Advent -- you can see there is hope there and it is not going to be like this for the rest of our lives. The roads have improved, the cones are disappearing and the plan is becoming apparent."