THE Archbishop of York has spoken of how the work of the small army of volunteers in Cleveland and North Yorkshire has left him stunned, five weeks into his epic pilgrimage across the deaneries of his diocese.

Dr John Sentamu said while he had long been aware of the beautiful countryside in the area, he had been left astonished by the visible community spirit and good repair of churches in areas with few residents, particularly given the financial pressures such buildings face.

Since setting off from Whitby on December 1, the Primate of England has walked through Guisborough, Middlesbrough and Stokesley deaneries, visiting scores of churches and organisations, including HMP Kirklevington Grange on Christmas Day, to spread the Gospel.

He said the pilgrimage of prayer, inspired by the Northern saints, such as Aidan, Cuthbert, and Hilda, who took to the road to proclaim the word of Jesus, had revealed an incredible degree of neighbourliness, which he would not have picked up if he had travelled by car.

There was no standing on ceremony as he walked through Mowbray Deanery, visiting Northallerton High Street and the Friarage Hospital, and there were no officials preventing people from striking up a conversation with him.

Despite his packed schedule seeing him meet parishioners on farms and in pubs and charities, such as young people's services charity The Clock, based in Thirsk - which he described as "spectacular" - he chatted to shoppers, visited the town's volunteer-run information centre and the World of James Herriot museum.

He said: "I have got more hope than I had before because I have been encountering amazing people.

"The communities are rallying around together. I saw this with the flooding, the voluntary element was just amazing.

"In some villages, the the population has moved away, but the buildings have been kept in remarkable condition, which to me is a great surprise.

"The people are very discerning, there is a northern Yorkshire grit of not letting anything get you down."

Dr Sentamu said he would form conclusions about how best to harness the efforts of communities at the end of his six-month journey.

He added: "I haven't had any injuries and my feet are just the same as when I started. Five weeks in and I am doing well."