Town's vicar to take on new role as Dean of Birmingham

She is expected to move from Huddersfield in the summer with her husband Robin Goater and their son, Thomas. She will lead the team of clergy and lay staff at Birmingham Cathedral as well as playing a leading role in the life of the city.

Last night the Bishop of Wakefield, Stephen Platten, praised her contribution to the diocese and said: "Catherine has been an outstanding Vicar of St Peter's, Huddersfield.

"Her time as priest here in the city centre has been creative and she has brought a rich variety of talents and skills to the task. She will, I am sure, be an equally inspiring Dean of Birmingham."

A fashion and design graduate, Ms Ogle, 48, retains a strong interest in the arts and has a background in broadcasting and journalism.

She was trained for the ordained ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge and served as a deacon for seven years before being one of the first women to be ordained as priest in the Church of England in 1994.

"It's a great honour to be invited to take up this role," she said.

"I'm excited by the prospect of living and working in such a vibrant and diverse city and looking forward to building on the excellent work that is taking place in and around the cathedral."

The Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart said: "It is a pleasure to be welcoming Catherine to the diocese. She is a talented priest with a strong track record of Christian leadership and mission. I look forward to working closely with her for the good of the city and the surrounding region."

Ms Ogle served her curacy at St Mary, Middleton, in south Leeds and then took up an ecumenical appointment at BBC Radio Leeds as religious affairs editor for four years.

In 1994 she became vicar of three villages outside Barnsley.

She became Vicar of Huddersfield in 2001. She is a canon of Wakefield Cathedral, serves on the council of the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, near Dewsbury, and was made Rural Dean of Huddersfield in 2009.

She has chaired the award-winning Interfaith Kirklees Schools project since its foundation in 2004.