AN EPPING doctor has been sworn in as the district's newest Church of England reader – allowing her to lead services, administer communion and even to conduct the funerals of her patients.

Dr Diana Lowry, who has been a GP at the High Street practice since 1982, was officially licensed to carry out the role at a ceremony at Chelmsford Cathedral at the weekend.

She said: “There have been a couple of occasions when God has spoken quite directly to me and one of these occasions was a couple of years ago when he told me that He wanted me to becomes a Reader.

“I tried making lots of excuses but He was having none of it so I decided to apply to do Reader training.”

She added: “It is possible in the future that I may even take funerals of patients who have died but this will only happen if it is requested by the relatives of the deceased.”

Dr Lowry will continue to work full-time as a GP.