The name's Hobbs, Reverend Hobbs

Reverend Maureen Hobbs was once involved in the spying game during the Cold War but these days she is no secret agent. The new priest-in-charge at St Chad's in Pattingham worked as a Russian linguist at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham before joining the Church.

The 54-year-old was with the British intelligence agency during that tense stand-off period between West and East.

However, having signed the Official Secrets Act, she cannot elaborate on her work there. She says: "I tell scout groups I used to be a spy, which always goes down well."

Rev Hobbs, who will also look after St Mary's in Patshull, went on to work as a recruitment and personnel consultant, largely in the civil service, before acting on a suggestion by her own vicar to consider the religious life.

She says: "When I was growing up, becoming a priest wasn't an option for a woman so it never crossed by mind."

She became a warden at her local church in Oxford and after deciding to enrol for a theological studies course, her vicar challenged her to "go the whole hog".

"He suggested I might have a calling – I thought he was mad at first but the idea began to grow."

Maureen served her curacy in Shrewsbury and has spent the last eight years as priest for three churches in Shropshire.

She was officially installed at St Chad's by the Bishop of Wolverhampton, the Right Reverend Clive Gregory, at a service on Monday and will divide her time between Pattingham activities and a new role, created by the bishop, as ministry development adviser for Wolverhampton.

And although she has met with some prejudice from people who do not accept women as priests, it has never been a problem.

"We've usually had a good working relationship with the help of some give and take on both sides."