A HIGHLY experienced clergyman has been appointed as Haworth's new rector.

The Reverend Peter Mullins, who has been the rector of Great and Little Coates with Bradley, in Grimsby, for the last 17 years, is replacing Rev Peter Mayo-Smith who left early this year.

Rev Mullins, 57, who is coming to Haworth with his award winning textile artist wife Deborah, said: “We are hugely looking forward to coming to live in Haworth and working alongside the voluntary clergy and lay leaders in the churches there and at Cross Roads and Stanbury.

"It will be an exciting final stage of my ministry, spending it among the large number who come to seek out the Bronte heritage, as well as among those who need committed Christian communities to make a real difference to lives locally.”

Rev Mullins was originally born in Zomba, Malawi – where his parents had met while working in the Government and in nursing – but he was brought up back in England after they returned home.

He was first ordained 33 years ago, and worked in parishes in Reading and Scunthorpe, before moving to run the in-service training of clergy for the diocese of Lincoln.

During his time in north east Lincolnshire he played a significant role in education and community development in Grimsby.

He worked as lead governor of the local further and higher education college, to help it become one of the first in the country to be awarded the power to grant Foundation Degrees.

He has published a small book of his own poems and enjoys carrying out historical research.

Rev Mullins has done his most recent work in the reading room at the Imperial War Museum, studying the letters of the officer who commanded the Grimsby Chums on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.