A NEW vicar has been inducted for East Morton and Riddlesden.
The Rev Tony Walker has been collated into the united benefice of St Luke's and St Mary's.
A well-attended service, at Morton, was led by Bishop of Leeds Nick Baines.
Guests included the Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire David Pearson, Lord Mayor of Bradford Cllr Abid Hussain, Keighley town mayor Cllr Mohammed Hussain and ward councillor Malcolm Slater.
Also present were many church members and community representatives plus worshippers from Retford in Nottinghamshire, where the Rev Walker served previously.
"A large number of his parishioners made the journey to Yorkshire for the service to support him and wish him well in his new post," said a spokesman.
The Rev Walker was ordained at Bradford Cathedral in 1981, but has spent most of his ministry in the Nottingham area.
He became area dean and later team rector for the Retford Area Team Ministry, which had responsibility for 30 churches.
He is married to Carol, a schoolteacher, and has three grown-up children.
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