BISHOP of Bath and Wells the Rt Rev Jim Thompson has announced that he is to retire and will leave the diocese at the end of the year to live on Exmoor.

Bishop Jim, who will be 65 in August, has held office for ten "wonderfully happy years" and will retire officially on December 31.

In the meantime, he said, it will be business as usual: "I have every intention of making the very best of this last chapter.

"There is so much to do, not only with the day to day business of being a bishop but also the task of preparing to hand over responsibilities to others."

He is planning a series of five major Lent lectures in the cathedral in March and he is leading the diocesan response to the national First to the Lord campaign designed to invigorate Christians.

"This is a busy and exciting time for the Church. It's not a time for looking back, but looking forward," he said.

"There is so much going on and we have every reason to be confident for the future. There is a deep spiritual hunger in the world which we are determined to satisfy."

Bishop Jim is known to millions of people through his radio broadcasts and as chairman of the Children's Society.

He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Chuddesdon Theological College and was made a deacon in 1966 and priest in 1967.

He served as a curate in East Ham before returning to Chuddesdon as chaplain. In 1971, he became team rector of Thamesmead in Southward diocese and was consecrated Bishop of Stepney seven years later.

Bishop Jim and his wife, Sally, were married in 1965 and have two children and twin grandchildren.

Farewell services are planned for Bath, Yeovilton and Taunton with a final service in Wells Cathedral on December 1.