Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, to retire

Bishop Reade will turn 66 in October

The Bishop of Blackburn has announced that he will retire on 31 October, after leading the Church of England in Lancashire for more than eight years.

The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade and his wife Christine will retire to Bexhill, Sussex, where the bishop was born.

Bishop Reade, who will turn 66 in October, said he had "enjoyed immensely" his time in Lancashire.

"I look forward to continuing to serve the Church of England, but hopefully in a less demanding capacity," he added.

Bishop Reade was educated at Leeds University and trained for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection at Mirfield, West Yorkshire.

He has held senior positions for 31 of his 40 years as a priest, arriving in Lancashire in 2004 after serving for seven years as Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings in the Chichester Diocese.

More recently he has had national responsibilities as the Church of England's spokesperson on behalf of deaf and disabled people, and as one of the 26 bishops who sit in the House of Lords.

He said: "Christine and I are thankful to God for so much joy and happiness during our years in Lancashire, and for the wonderful friendships we have made.

"Our prayer will always be with the diocese and the people of this great county, and we look forward to continuing to serve among you over the next eight months."