Former RAF intelligence officer Tom Eagles has been appointed the new vicar at St Thomas Church (STN) in Norwich.

Mr Eagles and his wife Charlotte, who have two children, Tobias, five, and Barnabas, six, planted St Mark's in Coventry out of the well-known Gas Street church in Birmingham.

So it is a sister Holy Trinity Brompton church plant to STN. "It was a bit of an adventure," said Mr Eagles.

He travelled widely with the RAF, including experience of a couple of wars.

Mrs Eagles is an NHS occupational therapist, specialising in mental health, who comes from Norwich.

More recently she has worked on the evangelisation team at Soul Survivor.

Mr Eagles said: "It does feel like God has been calling us to Norwich for eight or nine years and now is the time. We love the city, feel at home and have family in the area.

"We are outward-looking and want to bring everybody into a place of encounter with Jesus.

"Ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit is a big part of who we are and we want to make space to listen to God's voice. We believe he speaks today and he heals today, we believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit."

Mr Eagles said: "We see church are a family and to connect with each other, be real with each other and to learn and journey together."

STN interim vicar Dave Lloyd said: “We are thrilled that God has been calling Tom and his wife Charlotte to ministry in Norwich for some time now and we cannot wait to welcome their family. We are praying for them through this transitional period as they move from Coventry and we are all looking forward in faith to the next chapter of the adventure that is STN!”

Mr Lloyd will be licensed at STN on July 31.

*This article was provided by Network Norwich.