DURHAM Cathedral’s organist has been honoured by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

James Lancelot, the master of the choristers and organist, received The Cranmer Award for Worship from Archbishop Welby, who worked with him while he was Bishop of Durham.

Dr Lancelot said: “The news of the nomination for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Cranmer Award came to me as a complete surprise and a great delight, not least because it reflects happily on our beloved Cathedral.

“Archbishop Justin made every one of the award recipients warmly welcome at Lambeth Palace through his personal kindness; it was a special joy to see him and his wife once again and to be reassured of the very special place Durham clearly has in their hearts.”

Dr Lancelot started piano lessons aged three and became a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral in London at eight.

He was an organ scholar at King’s College Cambridge and appointed sub-organist at Winchester Cathedral in 1975 before moving in 1985 to Durham, where he has overseen the introduction of girl choristers.