A RURAL community has been split by the possibility of a woman priest being appointed to their parish.

Residents in the parish of Forcett, Melsonby and Aldbrough, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, are divided over whether they should be prepared to accept a female rector.

The post of rector has been vacant since March, when the Reverend Mel Gray left.

Six years ago, he had threatened to step down when the Church of England voted in favour of appointing women priests.

That debate will come to the fore again tomorrow evening, when members of the parish and church council will vote on whether they would be prepared to accept a female rector.

The parish, which comes under the diocese of Ripon, will vote on several clauses related to the appointment of women rectors.

Under Church of England regulations, brought in following the introduction of women priests in 1994, the parishioners can decide on four courses of action:

l accept the appointment of the parish's first female rector;

l have a total ban on women officiating at the church;

l accept visiting women priests without appointing one to the parish;

l or, more drastically, formally breaking away from the diocese over the issue.

A breakaway would see them fall under the control of a "flying bishop", whose views they find acceptable, in this case possibly the Bishop of Beverley.

Church councils are not allowed to vote against the appointment of a male priest.

Although the vote is a legal requirement and taken every time a post is vacant, the PCC has voted against the appointment of female rectors in the past.

A member of the church, who declined to be named, said that, on this occasion, the council and the congregation seemed to be split about 50-50 over the issue.

Edna Partridge, secretary of the PCC, said: "The issue of whether we would be happy with a female rector will be discussed and voted on during the meeting, but I am not prepared to comment until after the meeting."

John Carter, spokesman for the diocese of Ripon, said: "There is nothing unusual about the vote. In fact, it is compulsory and any decision they make will not be treated as unusual either."

The meeting will be held at St Paul's church hall, Aldbrough, at 7.30pm