A plea is being made for more chaplains to help meet a growing demand from visitors to a North Yorkshire tourist attraction.

The Cistercian monastery of Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, founded in the 12th Century, is the National Trust's biggest paying attraction.

And a growing number of visitors are using the services of the abbey's chaplaincy team.

Rector of Fountains, Canon Tony Keddie says: "Some people simply come for a day out, but others come to find meaning in life and to look for God.

"Some have problems of a personal nature and use the abbey as a quiet place to seek a solution and some measure of peace," said Canon Keddie

He looks after a number of far-flung churches in the area and is coordinating chaplain at the abbey.

Lay or ordained chaplains are urgently needed to meet the demand for the new "season" at Fountains which last year was hit by the foot and mouth crisis.

Each chaplain can specify the number of occasions they will be available.