THE new Bishop of Durham may be incurring the wrath of Government, but his appointment is now set in stone.

Ahead of Paul Butler’s enthronement at Durham Cathedral on Saturday (February 22), stonemason Nigel Mawson has engraved his name onto a cathedral plaque carrying the details of all bishops of Durham.

Mr Mawson, a cathedral stonemason since the early 1980s, said the work was an honour to perform.

Referring to Bishop Butler’s predecessor’s short time in Durham before he was made Archbishop of Canterbury, he said: “I also had the honour of engraving Justin Welby’s name on the plaque.

“I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that once I’ve engraved Bishop Paul’s name on the plaque it’s quite some time before I’m asked to engrave another.”

The plaque can be found on a wall next to the entrance to St Cuthbert’s shrine.