The Reverend Canon Lee Batson has been installed as the new Dean of Newcastle in the Church of England.

The special service included a minute's silence for all victims of the conflict in Israel and Gaza. 

The newly installed Very Reverend Lee Batson, 45, from Essex, succeeds The Very Reverend Dr Jane Hedges, who served as Interim Dean following the retirement of The Very Reverend Geoff Miller in November last year.

Batson told Premier he's only ever been to the North East twice on holiday, but felt firmly called by God when offered the role."

 "I am slightly astonished to find God's have called me here but enormously grateful to God has. It's it's been quite a journey since applying. And yeah, we just can't get over just what a glorious place it is, and how much God is already doing through God's Church here, both the Church of England and elsewhere."

Batson's sermon quoted the title line of a song by the northeast 1960s band The Animals: "We got to get out of this place, if it's the last thing we ever do, because there's a better place out there for you, me and you."

Batson told Premier the line "speaks in a way to the heart of what the gospel and the purpose of this church is to enable people to be called out of where they find themselves, to a future that God has in store for them."

Batson was also asked about his plans for reaching out to Newcastle Friday and Saturday nighttime economy, responding that he himself had no plans to enter clubs, but acknowledged it was a vital aspect of life in the area.

"If we're to be true, we have to recognise that this is what life is for lots of people with all of its joys and challenges. And like this in any other aspect of wider life, how does we engage so that people can discover Christ, where they happen to be? That's been the focus of my day? God is in this place? How do we enable others to see it. And if that's in the middle of a club, providing it someone else going through the doors, I'm sure we can find a way to do it."

Batson previously served as Team Rector of the Epping Team Ministry and held positions as Area Dean and World Church Partnership Officer in the Chelmsford Diocese, where he forged strong ties with the Anglican Church in Kenya.