THE village where churchgoers were slammed as the 'devil's children' will have the Queen's chaplain as its next vicar.

The Rev John Priestley will take St Michael and All Angels, Foulridge, under his wing when he becomes Priest in Charge and adds the parish to his duties as vicar of Christ Church, Colne.

Former village primary school head teacher, the Rev Kath Allen, will assist with pastoral care as a non-stipendiary curate.

Mr Priestley will be officially licensed to his new post on December 7. Aged 58, he was ordained in 1968 and has spent all his ministry in the Blackburn diocese, first at All Saints, Habergham, and from 1970-75 as curate of Padiham with Higham.

He has been vicar at Christ Church since leaving Higham and was appointed as a Chaplain to the Queen in 1990. Between 1991 and 1996 he was the Rural Dean of Pendle and last year was appointed as the diocese's director of post-ordination training.

Mr Priestley and his wife, Margaret, have two children; Andrew, a financial adviser, and Rosemary, who is curate of St Paul's Scotforth, Lancaster.

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