TRIBUTES have been paid to a Dorset reverend who died aged 75.

Reverend Bob Naylor enjoyed a long career, which saw him travel across the UK and serve as Priest in Charge of the Lulworth Benefice and Rural Dean of Purbeck.

Revd Naylor’s wife, Joan Naylor, explained how her former husband’s career began.

She said: “Following a serious injury sustained whilst playing for St Helens RLFC, Bob had a very powerful experience of the presence of God, an experience which convinced him that God was calling him to serve as a priest.

“He was advised to test his vocation by getting into one of the caring professions. He initially went into social work, but the calling to serve as a priest became ever stronger and he was ordained in Liverpool Cathedral by David Sheppard in 1977.”

Revd Naylor then began to serve as Associate Vicar at the Church of St Anne, Aigburth in Liverpool.

He decided to take up a Diocesan post in Gloucester in 1980 before returning to social work five years later with The Leonard Cheshire Foundation and the Stable Family Home Trust at Bisterne near Ringwood.

In January 2000, Revd Naylor became Priest in Charge of the Lulworth Benefice in the Purbeck Deanery, where he spent eight happy and fulfilling years and served as Rural Dean of Purbeck from 2002.

At the end of 2007 Revd Naylor moved to St Mary in Jersey, where he and his wife spent five years before returning to Dorset to retire in 2012.

During his retirement Revd Naylor became involved with St John the Baptist Church in Bere Regis, where he assisted as Associate Vicar until he was taken into hospital.

Mrs Naylor said her husband will be sorely missed.

She added: “He leaves a wife, three children, two step children, and nine grandchildren all of whom he loved dearly, and he was loved so much in return.”