SUCH pressing questions as "Do you play football?" and "What did you want to be when you were little?" were put by Bolton-by-Bowland school children to the new Bishop of Bradford this week.

The six youngsters met the Right Rev David James during a welcoming ceremony at Skipton Auction Mart on Tuesday.

He takes over from retiring Bishop David Smith who leaves the post at the end of July.

The new Bishop David told the children he was too old to play football, but had in his younger days along with rugby league. And as a youngster he wanted to be a bus driver.

He added he was very excited about his new post having spent many holidays in the Dales.

Bishop David, who comes from Wakefield and is the suffragan Bishop of Pontefract, said he was eager to reach out to children.

"If there is no room for children in church, there is no room for Jesus," he said.

He said he welcomed women priests into the church and had helped ordain some himself, and believed people who were divorced should be allowed to marry in church.

"God sees marriage as something for life, but he also believes in forgiveness and allowing people to make a new start," he said.

Others at the welcome were Skipton rector Canon Adrian Botwright, Archdeacon of Craven, The Ven Malcolm Grundy, and chairman of Craven District Council, Coun Ken Hart.

Bishop David is married to Gill and has four daughters.