Gloucester Elvis vicar has left the building

By [fwhittaker]

LETTERS to a Gloucester vicar will be returned to sender from now on after his decision to move away.

The Reverend Graham Osborne, the former vicar of St Catharine's church, who once dressed as Elvis for a church musical, has "left the building".

Members of the congregation said he would be missed following his "now or never" decision to return to his roots in the home counties.

Mr Osborne, 58, who was the minister at the lively church in London Road for more than nine years, has taken up the new post of vicar of Leatherhead and Mickleham.

Curate Andrew Swift said: "We will miss Graham very much.

"He was a much loved leader for the church.

"I am sure he will thrive in Surrey, and we give him our love and prayers as he goes."

Mr Osborne, came to Gloucestershire with his family in 1996 as a curate in Cirencester.

The musically gifted Osborne family moved to city when Graham became vicar of St Catharine's in 2000.

Graham was deeply involved in many aspects of life in Gloucester. He served as mayor's chaplain and school governor at several schools, including Oxstalls School then Bishops' College. He was also the area dean for the Church of England for the city.

He shot to fame in the community having dressed as Elvis for a role as the Pharoah in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat after he had lost 18lbs when he joined a healthy eating and exercise programme.