THE Church of Lynn and Geoff never really took off, which was a shame really, because today Geoff Anderson could be his own archbishop, tending to a flock of free thinkers like Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Nicole Kidman.

As it is, he sits at home in Waterworks Road, Worcester, where he has written a very funny novel with a legends theme. Not legends as in Elvis Presley, but legends as in wizards and demons.

Having failed to start his own, Geoff did actually make it into a church - the Church of England - and for 11 years was the rector of Bewdley, until a debilitating brain disease took hold in 2003 and he had to retire.

Today he speaks and walks more slowly, but the twinkle in the eye and the sense of humour are still there in a man who once suggested Liverpool's Roman Catholic cathedral, known locally as Paddy's Wig-Wam, would make an ideal venue for Olympic speedway, as the exhaust fumes could be funnelled up the centre.

In the same vein, Canterbury Cathedral would make an excellent Olympic ice rink, while the track and field events could be held at Coventry Cathedral, "where there is plenty of space inside and out".

It was Rev Anderson's tongue-in-cheek look at more expansive uses for religious buildings. Predictably they fell on stoney ground.

Considering he was born in the Black Country, where his father worked as a die caster and his mother ran a drapery shop, you wonder exactly where Geoff Anderson got his mystic imagination from.

The answer partly lies in the fact that when he was 11, the family moved into the Coach House at Westwood Park, just outside Droitwich.

"I had to cycle through a wood every day to the railway station to catch a train to school," he said. "During the daytime that was no problem, but coming back at night, it was a very dark and mysterious place. The shadows used to play all sorts of tricks. I remember this one tree that had a lump on the side. I knew perfectly well what it was, but in the moonlight it looked like some sort of beast about to attack me.

"I had to decide whether to be brave and just cycle normally or pedal as fast as I could. I often used to arrive home red faced and out of breath."

After education at King Charles grammar in Kidderminster, he went to Exeter University to study French and Russian with the probability of becoming a lecturer.

However, on a research trip to Paris he began reading the book Dr Zhivago.

"It bowled me over," said Geoff. "It gave me a new outlook on life, so I decided to plough my own furrow."

Which he did by going off to live in a commune in Liverpool, making furniture for a living. "Living the alternative lifestyle," as he put it. "We all had shared values and it had the added advantage of being cheap."

Here he met Lynn, an American girl. When she announced she was returning home, Geoff write a short story urging her to stay, which she did and the couple were married in Liverpool Cathedral on 6.9.1969. Easy to remember.

"It was the first short story I had ever written, so I believe in the power of the pen," he pointed out.

Geoff and Lynn moved down to Kidderminster in 1970 and for three years ran an arts and crafts style furniture making business in Blackwell Street.

However, his natural ability to understand people's problems led to him becoming something of a shoulder to lean on.

"The time came when I was spending more time counselling than making furniture," he said. "At one time we actually thought of setting up our own church. I suppose it would have been called the Lynn and Geoff Church, part of the alternative society.

"However, we decided against it, for two reasons. Firstly joining the established church, the Church of England, would be more logical because it was already there. And secondly it was so big, I figured I could get lost in it and do my own thing."

Which to some extent he did. Among his extra-curricular activities in his years as a parish priest have been writing three musicals - Rock On Simon Peter, The Damascus Roadshow and That Saul, Folks.

He has also managed St Petersburg Blagovest Ensemble since 2002. It's currently on a UK tour and played the Royal Grammar School, Worcester on Wednesday night.

Geoff was a full time clergyman from 1975 until his health began failing four years ago, which was when he turned to writing his novel The Legend of Aranrhod.

"It's set in Wales because Wales is the new black," he explained. "The in-place. Aranrhod is the Welsh moon goddess. I wanted the lead character to be a girl, because everyone is sick of Harry (Potter) so I looked through a list of Welsh girls' names and found Carys, which I think is lovely."

Carys and her friends Zach and Beth, together with Suzy the dog, need to solve the wizard's riddle to protect the world from demons.

All without the aid of Archbishop Anderson and his magic crook from the Church of Lynn and Geoff.

* The Legend of Aranrhod by Geoff Anderson published by ideas4writers at £6.99 can be ordered from good bookshops or by phoning 01905 612634.