A VICAR is looking forward to the challenges ahead after being newly appointed at a Chislehurst church.

The Reverend Paul Farthing moved to take over at the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary after being based at churches in Burton on Trent since 1999.

Fifty-five-year-old Father Paul was born in west London but emigrated to Canada with his parents when a teenager.

After undergraduate and graduate studies at McGill University in Montreal, he was ordained deacon in 1983 and priest in 1984, serving his curacy and two incumbencies in the Diocese of Montreal before returning to England.

He has three university age children and his wife is called Darquise.

The parish had been without a permanent vicar since the retirement of Father Bill Beer following 27 years at The Annunciation.