A POPULAR vicar has taken tea with the Prime Minister after being invited to Number 10 as one of the UK's 100 top Christian leaders.

Rev Graham Sawyer, of St Barnabas Church, Woodford Green, joined dozens of other guests at the Downing Street tea party - which was held to celebrate their work in the community.

Rev Sawyer, has made a big impact since taking up his post at the church in Snakes Lane East earlier this year - supporting campaigns to renovate its dilapidated hall and crumbling war memorial, and revealing his love of body art.

The minister, who spent much of his clerical career in Australia, said he was taken aback by the invitation.

He said: "(The party) included a very diverse group such as a cardinal, members of the Salvation Army and also the chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement.

"As a newly-arrived priest here I was really surprised and yet delighted to attend.

"It appears that I was invited because I have come under the 'radar' of Number 10, although I suspect that a local prospective Parliamentary candidate in this constituency may have had a word with the PM's office about me.

"I invited the Prime Minister to come to preach at St Barnabas but although my request was well received the offer was alas not taken up.

"I thought it was worth a try as I know that the current Prime Minister does 'do God' unlike his predecessor when he was in office.

"It is good though that Woodford Green continues in the tradition of Churchill and Attlee and still has a foot in Number 10 - no matter how very tenuous."