A CANON from the Blackburn Diocese was being installed as the Bishop of Doncaster at York Minster today.

Canon Cyril Guy Ashton, the director of training in the Blackburn Diocese, was to be consecrated by the Archbishop of York.

Canon Ashton spent his schooldays in County Durham before moving to London to train for ordination.

He has spent most of his time working in Lancashire, apart from a spell with the Church Pastoral Aid Society in its offices in London.

He was vicar of St Thomas' Church in Lancaster for 16 years before taking the directorship in Blackburn eight years ago.

During the service, a passage from the Old Testament will be read by the Dean of York, the Very Rev Raymond Furnell. The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, will read from the New Testament and the Gospel will be read by the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Michael Turnbull.

The sermon will be preached by Dr Nigel Wright, senior rector of Altrincham Baptist Church.

Canon Ashton is married to Muriel, a teacher, and has three sons and one daughter - Jonathan, a physiotherapist in Doncaster, Simon, a PE teacher in London and Timothy, a primary school teacher in Preston, and Elizabeth, a psychiatrist in Glasgow.

His interests include cars and motorbikes and has recently joined a fitness club.

Over the past few years, Canon Ashton has concentrated on developing skills that will enable him to work with clergy to encourage teamwork within parishes.

He has written several books and is course director for a postgraduate course in leadership, renewal and mission accredited by Sheffield University.

A statement from York Minster said that Canon Ashton and his wife were looking forward to building relationships with people in the Sheffield Diocese and see it as an exciting new beginning.

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