A MINISTER, who has moved across the country for his new post, says he found out he has ancestors from Mistley.

Rev Tom Osborne has been appointed as the minister of Manningtree and the superintendent of the Tendring Circuit.

Mr Osborne moved to Mistley last week with his wife Lorna and 16-year-old daughter Neve from Saltash, in Cornwall.

The 39-year-old said this is his 16th address in his lifetime and he is looking forward to settling into the area.

He said: “I don’t know the area personally, as the Methodist church system can match you with anywhere in the country.

“But my wife has some university and school friends in and around the Essex area. I also recently discovered I have paternal ancestors in Mistley and did not know when I came to look at the area last year.”

Mr Osborne was born in Nigeria where his father worked as a teacher before becoming a priest.

His family moved back to the UK shortly after he was born and they have lived in Durham, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Somerset.

Mr Osborne attended the University of Liverpool to study American studies in 1997, and he also spent a year at the University of Mississippi as part of his degree.

He later moved to London where he met Lorna and spent nine years working in various roles in further education colleges and politics.

In 2010, he decided to study theology at Cambridge University then pursued his ministerial training before moving to Cornwall.

Mr Osborne said he grew up in the church and has always been involved with it, but was not sure he would ever decide to become a minister.

He said: “It occurred to me that maybe the ministry was something I was being led towards.

“So I spoke to my wife and friends in and out of the church and people felt maybe I was right for the role.”

His welcoming and commissioning service is being held with probation minister Rev Christine Preece at Manningtree Methodist Church on Saturday, September 2 at 3pm.