ABOUT 150 people have written to a bishop following a growing crisis which centres on the dean of Ripon Cathedral, the Very Reverend John Methuen.

Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Right Reverend John Packer, had invited members of the congregation and wider community to write to him about "the situation at the cathedral".

The bishop's move came after growing concern following criticism of the dean's running of the cathedral.

Matters came to a head when Howard Crawshaw, the chapter clerk, Nigel Clay, the bursar, and Kerry Beaumont, organist and master of the choristers, resigned their posts.

Church of England officials were at pains to point out that people had written to the bishop about a wide variety of issues, and that not all submissions had been about the dean.

A statement from Bishop Packer said a wide variety of views had been expressed.

"No decision has yet been taken on any further action to resolve differences at the cathedral, but a further statement can be expected by the end of this month," said Bishop Packer.

The 55-year-old dean previously held an inner city post in Manchester and is a former chaplain at Eton.

Earlier, the suffragan bishop of the Ripon and Leeds Diocese, the Right Reverend Frank Weston, claimed the only way to solve the growing crisis over internal troubles at the cathedral was for the dean to resign.

Bishop Weston led an investigation into the cathedral's problems and said findings - which have not been published - were quite revealing. But he said it had not all been criticism of the dean, and there had been praise for his "energy and vision". However, Bishop Weston said working relationships were not happy.

A message left by The Northern Echo for the dean has not been returned.