He has served with the Royal Marines Commando on the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as working as a semi-professional basketball player - and he will soon be coming to Sheringham as vicar of the town centre St Peter's Church.

By ED FOSS

ed.foss@archant.co.uk

He has served with the Royal Marines Commando on the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as working as a semi-professional basketball player - and he will soon be coming to Sheringham as vicar of the town centre St Peter's Church.

The Rev Christian Heycocks is currently serving as chaplain to Cambridge University staff at Great St Mary's church in Cambridge.

He will leave that post this month and move to Norfolk with his family, wife Nia, daughter Molly and springer spaniel Boots.

Born in Wrexham, Mr Heycocks trained for the Anglican Priesthood at Westcott House Theological College in Cambridge, was ordained in the Church in Wales as a deacon at St Asaph Cathedral and served his curacy in Rhyl.

In 2000 he took the Queen's commission as a chaplain in the Royal Navy and following officer training at Dartmouth and Commando training at Lympstone he went on to serve primarily with the Royal Marines Commandos for the next six years.

He served on the front line in Afghanistan in 2002 and Iraq in 2003 and has travelled to many other countries, including freezing winters in the Arctic Circle.

In 2006 he took his current job in Cambridge where among many activities he has worked extensively on ecumenical and multi-faith issues.

Mr Heycocks will leave his post this month to become the vicar of Sheringham, where he will be welcomed at a service in St Peter's on April 24, attended by the Bishop of Norwich.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time back in Cambridge and will be sad to leave. However, as a family we are very excited about moving to Sheringham and north Norfolk," said Mr Heycocks.

"I look forward to my future ministry there and would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people from St Peter's Church and from the town as a whole who have already offered us a warm welcome.

"Apart from our time in Cambridge we have always lived by the sea. We feel as if we have been called home once again."

In the 1990s Mr Heycocks was a semi-professional basketball player and played in both the UK and USA.