GREAT Harwood's vicar is to become an honorary Canon of Blackburn Cathedral.

The Rev Janet Heil, vicar of St Bartholomew's and priest-in-charge at St John's, was invited to take up the position by the Bishop of Blackburn.

Now Ms Heil will take up her position alongside about 20 other honorary canons in the Blackburn diocese.

Today she revealed that the post will not affect her work with the local churches, but should strengthen the links between Great Harwood and the Cathedral.

Ms Heil said: "It's an honour. I am still trying to work out quite what I have done to deserve it really. It's something that the Bishop invites you to accept.

"It doesn't mean that my job in the parish is changed in any way. I will have more of a connection with the cathedral in that I get invited to cathedral events."

Ms Heil, 51, holds an education degree from Liverpool University, and trained in Durham for the ministry of the Church of England.

After serving in Manchester and Lancaster she moved to Great Harwood in 1995, and is now in charge of the town's two Church of England churches.

Ms Heil, who has no relatives in the area, will be officially 'collated' by the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, Bishop of Blackburn, at a service in the cathedral on November 14.

She said: "It's a great honour, and a nice reflection of some of the things that have happened in Great Harwood -- the development of the church at St Bartholomew's and the growth of Churches Together in the town.

"And I think the honour also reflects good things generally in the life of our churches, like St John's paying off the debt last year, what we've been able to do so far this year, and the possibilities that we are looking at to take the church forward."