THE vicar of a small north Suffolk parish is preparing to take up a new role as Chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich.The Rev Simon Ward, who has been team vicar in Reydon since 2003 will be leaving the village to start his new position in Norwich later this month.

THE vicar of a small north Suffolk parish is preparing to take up a new role as Chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich.

The Rev Simon Ward, who has been team vicar in Reydon since 2003 will be leaving the village to start his new position in Norwich later this month.

He said: 'Obviously I will miss the church, but we will all miss Reydon, there is a good community here. It is a very special place and there a lot of very neighbourly people around.

'I've come to know people from across the village - I walk around and people are always stopping me for a chat.'

He said that his new job will be full of challenges.

'It's not a parish job so it will be very different. My primary role will be to support the Bishop and to help him any way I can - it could mean anything from research to checking the details of arrangements. I'm looking forward to it,' he said.

He has lived in the Rectory with his wife Georgette and young sons Nathaniel and Benedict for the last five years and will be moving to Norwich when he starts his new job.

Mr Ward, who was born in Yarmouth and spent his teenage years in Norwich, also regularly played rugby in Southwold.