I WAS very sad to read of the death of Sir Marcus Worsley, from Hovingham Hall (The Press, December 20). You commented that Sir Marcus was a Christian – and indeed he was a very fine Christian.

When I trained for lay ministry many years ago at St John’s, Sir Marcus attended and often sat next to me in lectures. He talked of his deep spirituality, and how he was on the course to update his belief.

I asked if he would come and open the carnival at Holy Trinity Church, Stockton-on-Forest, in 1997 and he said he would be delighted to.

I spoke to him on the phone earlier in the year following the death of his brother, and he said how sad he was.

He will be badly missed.

Bryan R Lawson, Burton Fields Road, Stamford Bridge, York.