The Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, has named eleven new canons.

The seven members of the clergy and four lay people are from churches in the York

Diocese.

The new canons must "seek to contribute to the corporate life of the cathedral and to promote its mission and service."

The four Lay Canons are only the second group to be given the position in York after reforms to the constitution of the Cathedrals of the Church of England in 1999.

The 11 Canons bring experience of church life from across the diocese, which extends from the Tees to the Humber.

A date is yet to be set for the Archbishop to formerly confer the titles.

The new Canons are:

Clergy: The Reverend Catherine Durnford, Vicar of St Thomas's, New Marske, and of St Cuthbert's, Wilton; the Reverend Valerie Hewetson, Vicar of the Barmby Moor Group (Allerthorpe, Barmby Moor, Fangfoss, Thornton and Yapham); the Reverend David Hodgson, Rural Dean of Middlesbrough, and Vicar of The Ascension, Middlesbrough; the Reverend William Noblett, chaplain at Full Sutton Prison; the Reverend Cathy Rowling, Dean of Women's Ministry and Diocesan Co-Director of Ordinands; The Reverend Suzanne Sheriff, team rector for the Marfleet Team, Hull; the Reverend David Walker, Rural Dean of Hull and Vicar of St Michael and All Angels, North Hull.

Lay: Peter Bowes, Warden of Readers, reader at St John the Baptist, Wilberfoss, and at St Paul's, Kexby; Bryan Sandford, lay member of the Church of England General Synod and reader at St Nicholas's, Guisborough; Mrs Stella Vernon, lay member of the Church of England General Synod and reader licensed to the Rural Dean of Hull; Mrs Sue Wilkinson, secretary to the Bishop of Hull, secretary to the East Riding Archdeaconry Readers' Association, and reader at All Saints', North Ferriby.

Updated: 11:52 Monday, February 12, 2001