A HUSB AND and wife clergy team who look after five rural parishes are about to retire.

The Rev Richard Deimel became priest in charge at the Escomb group of Anglican churches, near Bishop Auckland, in September 2010.

His wife, the Rev Maggie Deimel, worked alongside him as self-supporting associate minister and together they have looked after the churches at Escomb, Etherley, Hamsterley, Witton-le-Wear and Witton Park.

They moved to the Durham diocese from Warwickshire, where they had spent two decades in the same roles.

During their four years in south Durham they established a leadership group for the five parishes and built teams to run informal and all age events to ensure the church connects with the community.

They formed a spirituality group to hold peaceful monthly gatherings and worked with other churches to hold messy church sessions, village teas and all age services.

Mr Deimel, originally from Reading, and Mrs Deimel, originally from Newcastle, will retire to Crawleyside, in County Durham.

Rev Richard Deimel said: “Church work is getting more and more demanding, as ministers look after more and more churches.

"We wanted to stop while we’re still feeling good, we have lots of interests to follow up.

“We will be continuing in an unpaid role as advisors in new spiritual movements for the North-East as we have a big interest in all of the spirituality going on outside of the church.”

A retirement service will be held at St Paul’s Church, Witton Park, on Sunday, August 10 at 11am, followed by a buffet lunch at Witton Park Village Hall.

Another married couple, the Reverends Elisheva and Roni Mechanic, will take over the Escomb group of churches from late September.