I WAS interested to read of the change of diocese for the parish of Slaidburn with Tosside (Craven Herald, May 26) as I was the last rector of the parish.

I was though somewhat surprised by the unfortunate headline “Churches to be removed from Leeds Diocese” as if the parish had committed some church crime and was being punished. This is far from the case as the story states.

The parish requested the move in order to join with the parish of Whitewell near Dunsop Bridge in the Blackburn Diocese who, I understand, are able to appoint a half-time priest-in-charge rather than the house for duty post it was when I was there. Hopefully this will attract suitable applicants for the new parish as Slaidburn has been without its own priest since I retired in September 2020.

While I am on my soapbox about wording, can I encourage your reporters to use “railway station” (Gateway Scheme main headline on the front page, Craven Herald, May 26) rather than “train station.” I don’t when this entered the lexicon probably with privatisation. A place where you catch a train has been called a railway station virtually since railways were built.

I know some will use the argument that we have bus stations but railways came into being long before we had buses. I note the artist’s impression labels the station as “Skipton Railway Station.”

Jonathan Oldfield

Bentham