A KIDDERMINSTER vicar will be saying a fond farewell to his parishioners after 20 years of service when he takes up a senior position in Durham.

Rev Canon Nick Barker, of St George's Church, has been appointed Archdeacon of Auckland and priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity, Darlington, in the Diocese of Durham.

The 57-year-old, who is also Rural Dean of Kidderminster and and an honorary canon of Worcester Cathedral, said he was sad to be leaving the town.

He added: "We have been here a long time. The fact that all our children have been born in Kidderm-inster makes it a special place. We have got to know it very well over the years. I think we will miss the folks in Kidderminster very much."

Rev Barker, who will be moving with his wife, Katherine, and children, Thomas, Sam, Katie and Tim, will start his new job after a service of welcome at Durham Cathedral in May.

He said he was "very excited" about his new role, adding: "It is part of the county that I know well because I was brought up in Cumbria. An archdeacon's job is to do quite a lot of the administrative work in the diocese, which allows the bishop to do the public jobs. I am looking forward to it."

The Bishop of Durham, Rt Rev Thomas Wright said: "We in Durham are delighted at the news of our new Archdeacon of Auckland. Canon Nick Barker comes to us after a long, rich and varied ministry in Kidderminster, following a curacy in Watford, and being vicar in a team in Manchester, during which his very considerable pastoral, teaching and administrative gifts have blossomed and flourished."