A Catholic priest currently working at St Mary’s Church in Alton is celebrating 40 years since his ordination.

Revd James Carling ran the Kenema Diocesan Relief programme in Sierra Leone during its civil war. He moved to Jersey and then to Thatcham before arriving at St Mary’s.

He was one of 11 Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth priests who had reached 25, 40, 50, 60 or 75 years of service invited to a Jubilarian Mass led by Bishop Philip Egan at St John’s Cathedral.

Bishop Philip said: “My prayers and congratulations go to this cohort of priests.

“Their vocational journeys are an example to us all of resilience and perseverance.”