A LOCAL sports teacher turned clergyman, Graham Pacey, will be hoping his old job will stand him in good stead this week as he walks more than 100 miles for charity.

The Rector of Skelton with Upleatham, near Saltburn, set off for his home turf of Morecambe Bay on Saturday, in the hope of raising cash to help pay for £4,000 worth of repairs to the church roof.

Curate at Skelton with Upleatham, Rachel Harrison, who is to be ordained as a priest by the Bishop of Hull herself next month, said Mr Pacey seemed a little subdued before starting, although she expected he would be fine when he got going.

"It seemed a good idea at the time, but I'm glad I'm not going with him!" she said.

Covering a total of 125 miles across the Pennines, Mr Pacey expects to arrive back in Saltburn on Sunday.