THE pastor of Newent Christian Centre has announced he is to moving on to pastures new after five years in the town.

Mark Preston and his young family have decided to seek out a new challenge. Their destination has yet to be decided, but Mr Preston, his wife Antonia and their two children, aged two and one month, will leave the town in September or October.

Discussions are ongoing to find a replacement.

Mr Preston was appointed pastor of the Ross Road centre when he was fresh out of Bible College in West Sussex. He said he would be sad to leave Newent.

"This has been our first appointment and having been here for almost five years we felt it was time to move on and take on a church somewhere else," he said.

He praised Newent as a beautiful town with very friendly people.

"It's quite a Christian community, there's lots of other churches that we've got on very well with. We'll definitely miss it."