A PUB bet has set Lawrence Edmonds off on a bizarre quest – to lick every cathedral in the country .

The 26-year-old from York was challenged by his friend Adam to complete the task in two years, or otherwise run naked round York Minster.

If he succeeds in licking every Anglican cathedral in the UK, his friend must do the streak instead.

Lawrence, pictured, who grew up in Heworth, attending Hempland and Bootham Schools, started his quest at Norwich Cathedral, but says Lichfield Cathedral in the Midlands tasted best, with the reddened sandstone beautifully warm on the tongue, while Wakefield tasted revolting.

The English Heritage worker said a visit to York Minster had completed his task in England, but he still had another 20 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to visit before he’d got it licked.

Lawrence, who currently lives in London but plans to move back to York and is a big York City fan, said the challenge had taken him to places he had never visited before, including Leicester and Coventry. However, he had hit problems at Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire, where an attendant called for security and he fled the scene.