A vicar is to leave the village which shares his name after a decade, to take up a new post in Middlesex.

The Reverend Michael Burley, vicar of The Parish Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Burley-in-Wharfedale, is to leave the valley next month to take up on the role of Priest-in-Charge of the parish of Staines upon Thames.

Staines is in the Kensington area of the Diocese of London.

Mr Burley and his family arrived in Burley ten years ago, and since that time, he has become Associate Diocesan Director of Ordinands for the Bradford Diocese.

His wife, Liz, is a radiographer, and the couple have six children.

His new parish says he emerged clearly as the right person for this role, with many of the gifts and experience relevant to leading Staines into a new season of ministry. His work in children’s and youth ministry, community projects, together with a practical knowledge of growing a church deeper in faith closely matched the parish’s profile for the new vicar.

Before his role at Burley in Wharfedale , he spent ten years as a Vicar in East Hull. Prior to that his curacy was at St Mary’s Church in Scarborough.

But before ordination, he spent ten years working as an international banker, including time working in the City of London, before studying at Cambridge.

Mr Burley said: “I’ve absolutely loved working in Burley-in-Wharfedale, it’s been an absolute privilege to be here.”

A celebration of his time in the village is expected to take place on September 1, but his final services in the village will be the 8am Holy Communion and 9.45a, Open House service on September 8.

His licensing in Staines is to take place in October.

St Mary’s said the Parish of Burley-in-Wharfedale will have a period of interregnum and the process of finding a new incumbent begins.

The curate, the Reverend Paul Wheelhouse, along with the church wardens, will look after the parish until a new incumbent is appointed.

The average period for this process to take place is between six and nine months, says the church.