THE Vicar of Otley said goodbye this week as he moved on to pastures new after nearly eight years in the town.

Ian Rodley, his wife Carol, and their family, left the town on Tuesday to move to his new parish at Wolverstone, near Milton Keynes.

During his eight-year stay in Otley, Mr Rodley has overseen a number of significant changes in the church's history, including the creation of the parish room at All Saints Parish Church and the launch of the Open to All appeal, which aims to raise £200,000 to refurbish the church.

Mr Rodley was also involved in the development of the family worship services at All Saints and in the use of music during worship.

In his last service on Sunday, Mr Rodley spoke about how he believed that moving to Milton Keynes was what God wanted him to do.

At the close of the service, a presentation was made to Mr and Mrs Rodley by Shirley Parker, churchwarden, on behalf of the parishioners.

Mr Rodley told the Wharfedale he was looking forward to the challenge of his new parish but that he would miss the community of Otley very much.

He said: "I have enjoyed my time here in Otley, it has been a very supportive congregation. I will miss Otley, because it is a lovely place, and I will miss the community, because they are lovely people.

"I will also miss the hills because where I am going is very flat, but there are lots of cycle ways around Milton Keynes, so I am exchanging the hill walking for cycle riding," he added.

Mr Rodley was installed as vicar of All Saints Parish Church by the-then Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Rev Robert Williamson in July 1990.

He had previously been vicar at Lidget Green, in Bradford, and had been ordained priest in 1981.

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