A TOURIST board boss told how she was ''engulfed'' by her local parish priest as he tried to kiss her passionately.

Christine Collier told an ecclesiastical tribunal in York how the Reverend Harry Brown forced her head back and stuck his "tongue in my mouth" as he greeted her.

He had arrived at Mrs Collier's house to congratulate her on being appointed chief executive of the Cumbria Tourist Board in July 1996.

Mr Brown was sacked by the Bishop of Carlisle, the Right Reverend Graham Dow, in September 2001 after more than a dozen parishioners complained about alleged sexual harassment, intimidating behaviour, mental abuse and financial irregularities.

Mr Brown, 49, launched an appeal in September against the revocation of his licence.

He denied acting inappropriately while priest-in-charge of Crosscrake and Preston Patrick, near Kendal.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Mrs Collier said:''I just recall he was towering over me and my head was pushed right back and he had his tongue in my mouth."

Asked by Geoffrey Tattersall QC, counsel for the Bishop of Carlisle, if she expected this, she replied: "Not at all."

Mr Brown denies all charges, except those of financial irregularities.

He claims mistakes were made when his wife Lynn, who suffers from cancer, was looking after the books.

Giving evidence at the hearing, Mrs Brown admitted that mistakes were made with a fees account.

Mr Brown is appealing against the revocation at a hearing being held in York, which is being heard by the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope.

The hearing resumes today.