More honours in Queen's Birthday list

IN THE Queen's Birthday Honours, Hugh Duberly CBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire and Chair of the Finance Committee for the Diocese of Ely, was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). The co-founder and CEO of Street Child United (which organises the Street Child World Cup), John Wroe, was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). Two Bishops in the Anglican Church of Melanesia were honoured: the Bishop of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, the Rt Revd Nathan Tome, received an MBE, and the Bishop of Ysabel, the Rt Revd Richard Naramana, was awarded an OBE.

Woman found in church yard after being raped

A WOMAN was found in the church yard of St Peter and St Paul, Deddington, on Sunday morning, after being raped, police said on Monday. It is reported that the attack took place less than a hour after the annual village arts festival ended. Thames Valley Police are appealing for information. The Vicar of St Peter and St Paul, the Revd Annie Goldthorp, said: "We are thinking and praying for the victim."

Body of suspected stowaway found in West London

THE body of a suspected stowaway has been found on the roof of a shop in Richmond, south-west London. It is believed that the man fell from a British Airways plane, to which he had clung on a flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow. Another man is in hospital after surviving the journey. The Revd Neil Summers, the Team Vicar of St John the Divine, Richmond, which is opposite the shop, told reporters: "In one sense it's not totally surprising as it's happened before. It's very shocking when it's so close to you."

Honour for Mission to Seafarers director

THE director of justice and public affairs for the Mission to Seafarers, Canon Ken Peters, has been awarded a Judges' Special Award for Outstanding Services to Seafarers, as part of the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network Awards.

Clergy in court for sex abuse allegations

A FORMER archdeacon of Auckland has denied a series of historic sex offences. The Ven. George Granville Gibson, 79, appeared before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on Wednesday last week, charged with eight counts of abuse said to have taken place between 1977 and 1983, when he was Team Rector of Newton Aycliffe. He is due to appear at Durham Crown Court on 1 July. Last week, the Revd John Hibberd, 77, was jailed for seven years and two months after being found guilty of six counts of indecent assault against three young boys, dating back to 1967. In March last year, Mr Hibberd was charged with six counts of indecent assault on a boy under 14, between 1967 and 1982. Until his retirement in 1998, he served as a parish priest in London.