A WORCESTER church vicar, who has been in his post for more than two decades, enjoyed a special farewell service.

Reverend Canon Stuart Currie conducted his last service at St Stephen's Church, Barbourne, on Sunday, (July 10), where he has been a minister for 22 years.

The congregation filled the church for the service, and gave Rev Currie a standing ovation at the end.

Rev Currie was appointed vicar at the St Stephen's Terrace-based church in 1994 replaced the retiring former vicar Reverend Graham Lyall.

Rev Currie had little experience having previously been a curacy in Reading and a minister at a Banbury church, following a period he spent as a modern languages teacher which at one point took him to Zambia.

During his 20 years at the church he served as chairman of the Diocesan Board of Education, House of Clergy, as well as Rural Dean for Worcester East and as a member of General Synod.

Rev Currie said his greatest satisfaction though has come from watching people flourish through his role of training incumbent, overseeing a number of curates through to ordination.

Rev Currie said he owes an "enormous debt" to his wife Nicola, and the pair will continue to work together in his new role of Bishop’s Chaplain.

After the farewell service Rev Currie was presented with various gifts including framed portraits of three windows of the St Stephen’s Lady Chapel, and the congregation then enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Church Hall.