A Shipley supermarket will be the first in Yorkshire to serve customers with helpings of spiritual guidance along with their groceries.

The Asda store on Manor Lane is asking members of the nearby faith communities to volunteer for the position of in-store chaplain.

The chaplain will be asked to work for a couple of hours a week chatting and listening to customers and staff.

But it is not a case of just picking up religion with your radishes, and chaplains are not there to preach to shoppers.

Mandy Godfrey, events manager, said: "Customers often want to talk to staff members and tell us their problems but sometimes it is difficult if we are very busy.

"And staff go through hard times, some have deaths in the family or problems, and sometimes you need to talk to somebody who is not connected with you. We want someone who wants to get involved with the community."

The idea of a supermarket chaplain began in a store in Kent where a young member of staff died suddenly.

The local vicar went to the shop regularly to give counselling and became a weekly feature.

Since then, the scheme has been trialled in Scotland where 40 stores boast chaplains, with a further 40 now in place in England and Wales.

Chaplains in the firm's stores meet the needs of the community they serve, and nationwide include a former Hell's Angel Methodist minister, a Buddhist nun, Muslim imams, Sikh leaders, Welsh chapel representatives and Roman Catholic priests.

The Rev Colin Penfold, vicar of St Paul's Church in Shipley, was interested in swapping church aisles for grocery aisles.

He said: "The church is in the business of sharing God's love and Asda is a major centre in my parish.

"On behalf of all the Shipley churches, I would certainly like to be involved and hope to play a part. I would also hope that people of other faiths would be interested in joining in as well."

Barkat Ali, president of the Tabligh-Ul-Islam Mosque in Frizinghall, said: "It would be of great benefit to people. We need to ask the younger people of the mosque if they are interested."

The role would be to walk around the shop and chat to people. But if someone wished for some privacy, they would have a meeting room at their disposal.

Andy Huntley, Asda Shipley general store manager, said: "The job is certainly not about preaching, the chaplains have a very low presence and are just there to chat or listen to customers and colleagues, whatever their faith.

"We see the role as very much an extension of our commitment to the communities we trade within."

To apply for the job, write to: Andy Huntley, Asda Shipley, Manor Lane, Bradford BD13 3RY or ring Mandy Godfrey on (01274) 589399.