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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Arson forces priest to step down | Arson forces priest to step down |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Cornish parish priest is stepping down from her church role after a second arson attack. | A Cornish parish priest is stepping down from her church role after a second arson attack. |
| A lighted candle was pushed through the window of Rev Yvonne Hobson's car but failed to set the vehicle on fire. | A lighted candle was pushed through the window of Rev Yvonne Hobson's car but failed to set the vehicle on fire. |
| Now the Anglican priest is to take a two-week break from her duties after a request by the Bishop of Truro. | |
| Since July, Ms Hobson, 56, the curate at Paul Church, near Newlyn, has received a series of hate letters and suffered an arson attack on her home. | Since July, Ms Hobson, 56, the curate at Paul Church, near Newlyn, has received a series of hate letters and suffered an arson attack on her home. |
| Bishop 'very concerned' | Bishop 'very concerned' |
| The letters sent to her expressed a hatred of women priests. | The letters sent to her expressed a hatred of women priests. |
| In October church leaders called for a halt to the attacks, but four weeks later a candle placed in the porch of her home ignited some logs and the fire brigade was called. | In October church leaders called for a halt to the attacks, but four weeks later a candle placed in the porch of her home ignited some logs and the fire brigade was called. |
| Bishop of Truro, the Right Reverend Bill Ind, has now asked her to take a temporary leave of absence. | Bishop of Truro, the Right Reverend Bill Ind, has now asked her to take a temporary leave of absence. |
| His spokesman Jeremy Dowling said: "It's very worrying and has put Ms Hobson and her family under enormous strain so he suggested that she have no more duties for a couple of weeks." | His spokesman Jeremy Dowling said: "It's very worrying and has put Ms Hobson and her family under enormous strain so he suggested that she have no more duties for a couple of weeks." |
| He added: "She is bearing up well, but after this it makes you wonder where the next incident is going to come from." | He added: "She is bearing up well, but after this it makes you wonder where the next incident is going to come from." |
| Ms Hobson said in a statement she was "very grateful for support from the parish and the local community". | Ms Hobson said in a statement she was "very grateful for support from the parish and the local community". |
| Devon and Cornwall Police said they were treating the latest incident as arson and have appealed for witnesses for anyone with any information to come forward. | Devon and Cornwall Police said they were treating the latest incident as arson and have appealed for witnesses for anyone with any information to come forward. |
| There are 19 full-time women priests in Cornwall and 92 men. There are also 22 women working as unpaid members of the clergy. | There are 19 full-time women priests in Cornwall and 92 men. There are also 22 women working as unpaid members of the clergy. |