A FORMER Bishop Of Selby has died aged 79.

Morris Henry St John Maddocks became the Bishop Of Selby in 1972, and served the town for 11 years before becoming the Archbishop of York's advisor for health and healing.

During his time as the Bishop of Selby, he set up an industrial mission team - 20 clergymen who were responsible for helping the workers at the town's coal field.

Bishop Maddocks spent his days in Selby looking after clergy, confirming parishioners, and visiting hospitals, prisons, factories and schools.

He was the vicar of St Martin-on-the-Hill, in Scarborough, before he was ordained as the Bishop of Selby.

Canon John Manchester, the vicar of St Mary's Priory, in Old Malton, who was Bishop Maddocks' curate at St Martin-on-the-Hill, said: "He was a marvellous man. He was very friendly with a wonderful, huge smile. He was very caring and thoughtful and he was wonderful with people, so he could be great fun. He was a good preacher and was very much a people's person.

"He would go into lots of factories and schools and he was very dedicated."

Bishop Maddocks and his wife, Anne, founded the Acorn Christian Foundation (ACF), an international organisation which provides training and educational courses for all age groups.

According to its website it is committed to "sharing the care and healing presence of Christ with all".

They also founded Christian Listeners, a nationwide project of the ACF, whereby church members are trained in the skills of active listening.

Bishop Maddocks was vicar of Weaverthorpe, Helperthorpe and Luttons Ambo from 1958 to 1961 and the vicar of St Martin-on-the-Hill from 1961 to 1971.

He had retired to Chichester, in West Sussex, and died in hospital in Southampton on Saturday, after a major heart operation.