NOT for him - or the Bishop - was it a nice conventional licensing in a church or bishop's chapel. The Revd Rod Lee chose to go up higher, to identify himself with the Northampton Fire and Rescue Service in Peterborough diocese, whose chaplain he has become.

The legal part of the ceremony, conducted by the Bishop of Brixworth, the Rt Revd John Holbrook, was held at ground level, so that the dozen firemen and others could hear what was being said, but Bishop Holbrook handed over his licence after they had both been lifted 100 feet in the air, in the cage of the aerial-rescue pump.

Mr Lee, a former Vicar of St Columba's, Corby, now retired, is one of two chaplains to the 580 firefighters at the 22 stations in Northamptonshire. "They are invaluable," the Chief Fire Officer, Martyn Emberson, says. "Firefighters can talk to them about things they couldn't discuss with others. They give spiritual support, and help firefighters to cope with situations they have to face in their work."

The Bishop expressed his gratitude to the Fire Service for the way they had dealt with a small fire at his home.