Father Kevin Palmer, Vicar at St Mary and St Chad's Church in Longton, has announced his retirement after 10 years of service. 

He will retire at the end of next month and a service will be held Sunday 29 January at 6.30pm to say farewell. 

Father Kevin has been a Vicar since 2000, but only joined St Mary's and St Chad's when Father Paul left 10 years ago. 

Since then, he has attended weddings, funerals, baptisms and frequently gone into Gladstone and Stanford Hill schools. 

He said: "The highlights for me have been the people more than anything else.

"You get invited into people's homes in the best and worst times of their life - it's a real privilege to be invited in by families at times like that.

"They've all said how much I'll be missed, but I don't think they realise how much I'll miss them as well."

When Father Kevin announced his retirement on Facebook, the community rushed to leave well wishes on his post.

Peter Mayer wrote: "It has been a privilege to have you as our priest, kind considerate and always time to listen. All the best on your retirement, God bless."