St Oswald's Church in Oswestry saw a new vicar welcomed earlier this month.

Reverend Harvey Gibbons was inaugurated in a ceremony on February 4, which saw him and his wife Liz welcomed to the community.

Fifty-five-year-old Rev Gibbons was born in the Midlands, before his family moved to Herefordshire and he later went on to attend Harper Adams University in Newport, Shropshire.

Rev Gibbons worked as an agronomist in Gloucester before working in Saudi Arabia.

"Religion has always been in my background," said Rev Gibbons.

"But it came to a head in 1980, when me and my wife became parents."

Rev Gibbons and his wife Liz have two children, Toby and Hester. Toby has followed in his father's footsteps and has also been ordained.

In 1999, Rev Gibbons was ordained and made a priest in 2000.

He has moved around from Salisbury, to Warminster, to Swindon, before coming to Oswestry.

Rev Gibbons said:"I was really drawn to everything about St Oswalds – it is a good church and it has good worship.

"It fitted my need to return back to my farming routes, too.

"Shropshire is a lovely county."

And since Rev Gibbons was welcomed in earlier this month, he's been busy meeting the St Oswald's congregation.

"I've meeting lots of people and getting my feet under the table," continued Rev Gibbons.

"I attended the first Place of Welcome meeting, I've been made a governor at Morda School and I've given a talk there.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting more people."