A LONG-serving vicar is moving to pastures new after serving a rural Yorkshire Dales community for 17 years.

Rev Peter Boyles is leaving his role as vicar of Dent with Cowgill to join the rectory of Appleby - and a group of twelve parishes across the Eden Valley.

“We have been in Dent since 1999 and have had many interesting experiences”, said the 57-year-old dad-of-two.

“My last service will be a normal Sunday service with a special address to the parish workers and all the good things that they do. They are very hard-working and I will encourage them to continue their good work.”

Rev Boyles will start on his new post in Appleby on February 11, and has already made several visits to get to know the area better.

“Appleby is a beautiful area and a wonderful place with a lot going on," he said. "It’s a good place to live but it has had to do quite a lot of recovering from the floods.

"I have to learn more about the area in order to be able to help people recover. As a church, we have to be able to offer support.”

Besides performing services and the usual church ceremonies of weddings, christenings and funerals, Rev Boyles will be working as a part of a team assisting the team rector Sarah Lunn.

“I am looking forward to working as a part of a team," Rev Boyles said. "Instead of being a person looking after an area I am taking on a much more of an assisting role of this very large group.

"In my new position I would also like to find new ways for churches of different denominations working together.”

Working in the banking sector before he was ordained in 1988, Rev Boyles spent time in Buckinghamshire and as an assistant priest in Chester and Wirral before his move to Dent.

“Since I sensed a calling it took a long time for things to set out, while I met many inspiring people," he said. "I felt I had a calling but it took a long time, nine years, to come to formulation.

"I couldn’t contemplate moving house without the support of my family.”