REVEREND Grahame Humphries will be paying a fond farewell to Blockley when he retires after 10 years of service.

He will be leaving his post as vicar of Blockley and Bourton-on-the-Hill in September and is moving to Charlbury with his wife Mary.

The 67-year-old has been in the ministry for 40 years and has served as curate in South London and Slough before serving as vicar in north Warwickshire and Norfolk.

While Blockley has been the centre of attention in recent weeks with the filming of forthcoming BBC series Father Brown, Rev Humphries said the community events have been particularly memorable.

“There’s been some really good events,” he said. “In 2004 Blockley did the Old Testament Mysteries play.

That was a really fantastic event on the recreation ground.

“About four years back we celebrated 800 years of the church of Bourton-on-the- Hill and had a really good thanksgiving service. Several past vicars shared that occasion.”

Rev Humphries, who grew up in Cheltenham, said he would miss his regular visits to local ministry teams in Winchcombe and Bourton but that he was looking forward to the future.

“I think we’re looking forward to going to a place with a really good community spirit,” he added. “A lot of things are going on and I’m sure we will feel welcome.”

People will not have to go far to hear Rev Humphries’ voice – he hopes to keep up his broadcasting as theatre correspondent on local radio as well as volunteering at the Theatre in Chipping Norton.