BEWDLEY Baptist Church's guitar-playing new minister has come full circle after moving from Devon.

Bromsgrove-born Keith Judson, 40, felt as though he was coming home after spending the best part of 20 years in the south west - especially when he found his former school music teacher was in his new congregation! Bewdley Baptist Church's new pastor, Keith Judson.

Rev Judson was educated at North Bromsgrove High School and completed a history degree at Manchester University before becoming a Natwest management trainee.

He married his wife, Jill, in 1982 and the couple moved to Taunton. After spending time as a scripture union schools worker he "sensed God's call to pastoral ministry" in 1994 and took up a full time position at a church in Torrington, north Devon, two years later.

Community involvement was a key part of his role there, where farmers were having a "tough time" losing entire herds to foot and mouth disease culls.

Rev Judson, who has three sons - Ben, 16, Tim, 15 and 14-year-old Robin - officially took up his new position in Bewdley on Saturday. He is a keen guitarist and has previously been in a band, Tailfeather, with two of his sons, while his former music teacher is in his new congregation.

"Although we were very happy in Torrington we felt the time was right to move on," Rev Judson said.

"It's strange, and quite exciting, to be 'coming home' - and the church has given us a tremendous welcome."