THE Rev Phil Hudd, new vicar of Christ Church, Lancaster will be welcomed to his new parish at a special institution service on April 23.

Rev Hudd, 31, was born in Gloucester and grew up in East Anglia before studying for a degree in theology at Westminster College, Oxford. After a year as a youth worker in the Liverpool inner-city he trained for the Anglican priesthood at Westcott House, Cambridge.

He is moving to Lancaster from Kirkby, on the edge of Liverpool, where he worked first as the curate and then became team vicar at St Mark's Church.

He said: "I'm delighted to be moving to Lancaster; I feel really happy about it. I'm very happy to be here and I'm looking forward to starting work." As a keen mountaineer, he is glad to be nearer the Lake District.

Phil Hudd is married to Lindsay who took for a degree in religious studies in London before achieving a post-graduate teaching qualification at St Martin's College, Lancaster. Lindsay teaches religious studies in Leyland.

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