A reverend who dedicated most of his career to helping those with mental health problems was honoured in a recent service.

Reverend Ted Houghton became a hospital chaplain after developing an interest in psychiatry as a young man.

At a service to celebrate 50 years as an ordained vicar, Mr Houghton, 78, reflected on his close ties with staff and patients at the Hellingly Hospital, which has units for people with moderate to severe mental health problems.

He had worked at the hospital for 30 years until he retired.

He said: "My interest in working with people with mental health problems came after I found myself working as a chaplain in a hospital for people with severe mental difficulties in Lancaster. I found I had everything to learn."

He was ordained in Blackburn and took up his first chaplaincy in Nelson, near Lancaster.

A number of other posts followed, including a chaplaincy for the Territorial Army in Lancaster.

Mr Houghton, who lives in Hailsham, took a degree in psychology at the University College London.

He then decided to pursue a career combining his faith and health.

After accepting a temporary post at Hellingly Hospital in the Sixties, Mr Houghton and his wife Joan moved to Hellingly, near Hailsham, where they lived in the hospital grounds for a brief time.

Mr Houghton said: "I was thinking in terms of staying for a little while until they found a replacement for the previous chaplain.

But I stayed when they asked me because I knew everyone by then. It was inevitable I got involved with the staff as well as the patients. They taught me the fundamentals of how best to do things."

Mr Houghton has two children and three grandchildren.

A service, conducted by the Reverend Ronald Chatwin, was held at St Peter and St Paul's Church in Hellingly on Sunday to commemorate his work.