The next Bishop of Barking was consecrated at a St Paul's Cathedral service.

Rt Rev Lynne Cullens was ordained as a bishop by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and will begin her new role on March 21.

She will oversee the Church of England's Barking Episcopal area, which includes Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Redbridge.

Bishop Lynne succeeds Rt Rev Peter Hill, who retired last year.

Last month, she told this paper one of her main priorities would be listening to church leaders and congregations across the area.

"It's an incredibly rich and diverse area and it's listening and understanding the community dynamics and what people feel are the joys in the areas they live and the challenges."

The former charity chief executive is currently Rector of Stockport and Brinnington in the Diocese of Chester and is part of a Church task group aimed at growing Christian communities in social housing estates.

She will be welcomed to the Diocese of Chelmsford at a service next month.