A DARLINGTON Methodist minister is about to start the busiest year of his life, at 62.

The Reverend Graham Carter becomes president of the Methodist Conference on Saturday - a year-long appointment that will take him to Korea, Bolivia, India and all over Britain.

The presidency is the highest position for a minister in the Methodist church.

Mr Carter was born in Sunderland and attended the city's Commercial Road primary and Bede Grammar schools.

He started work as a minister in Newcastle in 1967, before moving to Blyth and Seaton Delaval in 1971.

He then spent 18 years in Liverpool, including time working as religious producer for BBC Radio Merseyside, before returning to the North-East in 1992 to work in the Durham and Deerness Valley circuit.

He became chairman of the Darlington District in 1997.

As president of the conference, Mr Carter will represent the Church at national events such as the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

He will travel around Britain visiting Methodist churches, and will also travel to the World Methodist Council, in Korea, this summer.

Mr Carter was elected president at last year's Methodist Conference and has spent a year preparing.

He said: "I'm looking forward to travelling so much and meeting congregations, groups and individuals. But it will be a busy year, and it will make coming back home even better."