The Archdeacon of Bradford, the Venerable Guy Wilkinson, is leaving the city after a double family tragedy.

His brother-in-law, Jamie, has died ten days after a brain tumour was detected. The death leaves children aged 16, 15 and 11 without a parent as their mother died four years ago.

Mr Wilkinson and his wife Tessa, sister of the children's mother, are now the youngsters' guardians and will be moving to south Oxfordshire to raise them.

He said: "It has all happened very suddenly, with only ten days from diagnosis to his death and so we have needed to spend as much time as possible just getting to know each other.

"At the same time we could not put off decisions about how we are to be a family together in the future for too long."

The Wilkinsons, who have two married sons, lived in Undercliffe and will leave before the end of the year.

Mr Wilkinson added: "We would very much have liked to stay in Bradford, but in the end, with the children starting their A-levels and GCSEs and with all the other disruption in their lives, we felt they should have some continuity and so have given that the priority.

"I do not know what will come next for us. Whatever it is, I am sure that it will be for the redeeming of the evil thing that has happened - that is the way the God of love works.

"Out of tragedy we are being offered the opportunity of making a difference to three young lives. I am sure good will come from this new situation."

The Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David James, said the couple were "the best people imaginable to help the children come through their bereavement."

Mr Wilkinson had been "energetic and innovative" as Archdeacon in the three years since he came to the city, he added.

Of Tessa, he said: "She has been a rich source of blessing with her creative and counselling gifts."

Mr Wilkinson came to Bradford in 1999 after being vicar at a parish in Birmingham. He was ordained at 39, having first trained as a economist.

Since Jamie's death in June Mrs Wilkinson has been living in Oxfordshire with her husband commuting at weekends.

Mr Wilkinson said Bradford was a place where much of the country's urban future would be determined. If faith communities elsewhere, especially Christians and Muslims, showed as much cohesion and peace as there was here the future would be bright.

The Reverend Geoff Reid, team leader at Bradford's Methodist Touchstone Centre, paid tribute to Mr Wilkinson.

He said: "He used his significant influence with the Church of England to chivvy us all, Anglicans and others, into getting on with some really creative shared actions."