A NEW website dedicated to Bede and the museum in his honour was the subject of an unusual service of blessing yesterday.

New team rector at Jarrow, Father Bill Braviner, performed the blessing at Bede's World. The website was then launched by Nick Collins of the Newcastle company ZebraHosts.

The firm has provided free web hosting for the site through an innovative partnership with Project North East, which aims to help charities to raise their profiles on the internet.

Fr Braviner said: "It is certainly a first for me and I haven't heard of anyone else who has written a blessing for such an occasion."

The website can be viewed at www.bedesworld.co.uk