SALISBURY Cathedral has announced the appointment of the Reverend Edward Probert as canon chancellor.

He will be formally installed in his role on April 4 next year, which is Palm Sunday.

The appointment, made by Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Reverend David Stancliffe, will see Mr Probert become one of the three full-time residentiary canons at the cathedral, working alongside the dean.

Mr Probert (45) is currently vicar of St John, Belmont in Surrey, a parish on the outskirts of London, within the Southwark Diocese.

He is married to Caroline and they have two children, aged 11 and 13.

Ordained in 1985, Mr Probert has served as a curate at Christ Church, Esher, and as vicar of St Andrew's Church, Earlsfield, south London.

He has also been a part-time chaplain at the Princess Alice Hospice and the Royal Marsden Hospital.

He brings wide-ranging experience of different styles of worship, including Welsh non-conformism, American Methodism, AfroCaribbean Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, British Methodism and Baptist.

The canon chancellor has responsibility for the ministry of welcome, for education generally at the cathedral and for the library and archives.

As chancellor, Mr Probert will oversee the visitor services department, which provides facilities for the cathedral's thousands of tourists.

In addition, he will be working with staff at the cathedral's education centre, in Wren Hall.

Mr Probert will be looking to expand the variety of educational activity being offered across the whole age-range - from primary school children through to adults.

Mr Probert said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my parish ministry and now look forward to the new challenge of working in a cathedral environment.

"I know Salisbury Cathedral to be a centre of dynamic Christian worship and the city a place of great historic beauty.

"I look forward to participating in the life of the cathedral, the city, the wider community and the parishes within the diocese."

Welcoming the appointment, the acting dean of Salisbury, Canon June Osborne, said: "We are delighted that the bishop has chosen Edward to join the cathedral team.

"The fresh insights he will bring, coming direct from parish life, we believe will help us in taking our message out into the diocese and in responding to the needs and expectations of the many thousands of people who visit the district, the city and the cathedral each year."