A FORESTRY manager from St Asaph was one of 10 candidates ordained as deacon or priest at the city's cathedral.

John Searl, who is originally from Edinburgh, moved to North Wales in the 1980s and is married to Eleri, a nurse.

Their daughter, Caitriona, sings in the St Asaph Cathedral choir.

John started up his own forestry business five years ago and will continue to run this alongside his new duties at St Michael’s Church, Abergele; St George’s Church, in the village of St George and Dewi Sant, in Pensarn.

John was ordained on Sunday alongside Dominic Cawdell, of Mold - the youngest ever candidate for ordination in the Church in Wales.

Being 22, Dominic required a dispensation from the Archbishop of Wales to enabled his ordination to take place.

John said: "I want the church to be a real and meaningful part of our community. It shouldn’t just be contained within the walls of buildings but should be part of everyday life.

"Running my own business allows me be flexible with my time and allows my ministry to be self-supporting. I shall retain a foot in the working world, whilst contributing the ministry of the church.”

Also ordained on Sunday was a PhD student from near Llangollen, who was ordained as a deacon, the first stage to priesthood.

The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, said: “These are changing times in the Church and this is recognised in the types of people God is calling to serve the church and his local communities.

"We’re experiencing more people from more backgrounds seeking to serve the church through ordination, and some very talented candidates."

Bishop Gregory was joined by three other bishops in the ordination service.

The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Lord Williams of Oystermouth, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, preached during the service. The Rt Revd John Dudley Davies, an assistant bishop in the diocese, was also present.

On the day, deacons ordained included: Dominic Cawdell from Mold; Alan Cronin, a former policeman from Wrexham; Dylan Parry Jones, a PhD student from near Llangollen; John Searl who runs a forestry management company in St Asaph; Kathryn Stewart, a former social worker from Mold and Heather Shotton, from Wrexham who trained as a nurse with the navy.

Priest were: Rocky Bateman, serving in Estuary and Mountain Mission Area; Ann Chidgey, serving in the Cedewain Mission Area; Rebecca Sparey-Taylor, serving in the Wrexham Mission Area and Jeanette Wilkes, serving in the Pool Mission Area.