Bishop Mark Davies

The Bishop of Middleton is to divorce after 21 years of marriage.

In a statement this morning, the Diocese of Manchester said that the Rt Rev Mark Davies is to divorce from his wife Joanne.

The Bishop, who trained for the ministry at Mirfield, issued a joint statement with his wife, saying: “We have spent a considerable amount of time, thought and prayer arriving at this difficult decision. But we have decided that this is the correct course of action for both of us and our family. There are no third parties involved in the circumstances of this decision. Having made an open and honest statement on the issue, we request that individuals and the media respect our privacy.”

A spokesperson for Diocese, where he has been bishop since 2008, said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Joanne, Bishop Mark and their family at this time.  We hope people will respect their wishes for privacy.”