TWO teachers will today make history when ordained as Blackburn's first Local Ministers.

Mrs Dyllis Dickinson, of St John's Church, Stalmine with St John the Baptist, Pilling and Mrs Barbara Wilson of St John's Church Leyland will be among eight people ordained to serve in the Blackburn Diocese in Blackburn Cathedral today.

The Local Ministers will work alongside and assist clergy in their own parishes.

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters,

said: "With the ordination of the first two Ordained Local Ministers in our diocese, we begin welcoming specially-trained local clergy, called by their parishes to serve particularly in their home areas."

The Church of England has more than 300 Local Ministers in roughly half of its 43 diocese.They are ordained deacon and priest alongside other clergy. The only difference is their license and area of operation, which concentrates on their home parish.

Mrs Vivienne Goddard, Ordained Local Ministers Officer for the Blackburn diocese, said: "This is an exciting moment in the life of our diocese. It shows it is working in a more collaborative manner, and indicative of a shared ministry of priests in the area."