REVEREND Nick Bromfield, vicar of Drybrook, Ruardean and Lydbrook parishes for the past ten years was given an emotional farewell on Sunday.

At the service held at a packed Holy Trinity Church in Drybrook, the officiating Bishop, the Right Reverend Christopher Hill remarked that he had been asked by Bishop of Gloucester to attend the service as The Right Revd Rachel Treweek believed she would be unpopular as she was sending Revd Nick to Cheltenham.

Revd Nick said as the Advent Service concluded: “I have not prepared any words of wisdom for today because I find it too emotional.

“I felt that it was best to speak from the heart.

“I cant believe its ten years since I ambled into this church, having been appointed in 2006.

"I never dreamt what the next decade would bring and how those 10 years would unfold.

“Being the rector here has grabbed me by the heart. It’s an area full of wonderful people and being part of that enormous family I found that everybody was always looking out for each other.

“Thank you all for what you’ve given me over the last decade-and-a-half in the Forest, which began when I was appointed as a curate in Tiddenham, Hewelsfield and St Briavels back in 2002.

Churchwarden Jane White said: “A collection was held in the benefice’s three churches and from this we have presented the family with some gifts.

“For Revd Nick we have an antique waterman ink pen to add to his collection, an Everyman Theatre voucher and flowers along with a card signed by as many people from the benefice as we could muster.

“Oh and £1,000.”

Rev Nick joked: “I can get a top of the range skateboard with that!”

Revd Nick’s new North Cheltenham ‘patch’ will include St Mary’s, Prestbury, St Nicholas, Prestbury, All Saints, Pitttville, St Lawrence, Swindon Village, and St Mary Magdalene, Elmstone Hardwick.