A NEW deployment of priests in the central Scarborough area has been announced by the Church of England.

It follows the routine moves of three clergymen last year and local consultation over how to best deploy incoming priests in the town as a whole.

The Reverend Tony Mills, 46, has been licensed as priest-in-charge of St Martin and St Michael and All Angels, where he is assisted by the current curate, the Reverend Daniel Humphreys, and lay readers Sandra Gavan-Duffy, Pam Humble and Richard Costin.

Mr Mills remains vicar of neighbouring St Saviour's Church where he was appointed in 1995, assisted by lay reader Peter Williams.

It has been confirmed this week that the Reverend Martyn Dunning, 51, has accepted the post of priest-in-charge at St Mary with Christ Church and the Holy Apostles. He will be licensed by the Bishop of Hull on October 1, in St Mary's.

Mr Dunning will be assisted by Church Army Captain David Thorpe, youth worker Alice Hodson, and lay readers Alan Courtney, Pam Jennings and Charles Pople.

A half-time priest is to be appointed at St Luke, to be combined with a new half-time role co-ordinating the outreach and evangelistic work of the Anglican churches in Scarborough.

The recruitment process will be under way shortly, and an announcement is expected by the end of the year. The new vicar will continue to be assisted by lay reader Alan McKie.

The other two Scarborough churches of St Columba and St James with Holy Trinity are unaffected by the developments.