AFTER a six-month delay caused by the foot-and-mouth crisis, the new head of a North Yorkshire outdoor pursuit centre will finally be officially commissioned at a service on Sunday.

Mr Jim Gleave, aged 36, was appointed head of centre at Marrick Priory in Swaledale in March but because of the outbreak, an official event to commission him in April was cancelled and the centre itself was temporarily closed.

Now, with it fully functioning again and bookings on the increase, trustees, friends and staff will finally officially welcome Mr Gleave to his new post at 3.30 on Sunday. The service will be led by the Bishop of Knaresborough, the Rt Rev Frank Weston, and attended by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord Crathorne, a patron of the centre.

Mr Gleave said that after succeeding Dr Roger Hopper at a time of "serious difficulty" he was confident for the centre's future.

"It is surrounded by farmland, and with our strong emphasis on outdoor activities for school and youth groups we were unable to continue. Staff were laid off and I arrived at a very difficult time for Marrick Priory," he said.

"But now, with the lifting of restrictions, we are back on course, we have a rapidly filling diary and bookings are coming in daily."

Marrick Priory has strong links with the diocese of Ripon and Leeds.

A scheduled ancient monument, the buildings of the 850-year-old former Benedictine priory are held in trust by the diocesan board of finance. The post of head of centre is a full-time Church appointment.

Mr Gleave said he was delighted to be back in the diocese. With his wife, Sarah, an English teacher, he has moved from Nottingham where he was working in the field of fostering and adoption, after running a resource centre for people with learning disabilities.

"My own journey of faith was very influenced as a student at St George's church, Leeds, under the leadership of Canon David Hawkins and the Rev Jeremy Pemberton in the mid-80s," he said.

"It is good to be back. We have been warmly welcomed to Swaledale."