Miles Ashbourne

Reverend Miles Ashbourne was the vicar of Emily Bishop's local church, St. Christopher's, and was keen to make people more aware of the role that his institution played in the community - and raise donations at the same time. Emily organised a meeting in Roy's Rolls for a Sunday afternoon in September 2003 persuading Rita Sullivan to attend with Norris Cole corralled into coming along and Roy Cropper playing host. Although not at the meeting, Vera Duckworth baked some chocolate brownies using a recipe provided to her by allotment new-ager Maz O'Loughlin along with some of the special "spices" to go in them, totally unaware that the substance was cannabis. The Reverend refused a brownie as he was on a diet and the meeting got under way. It wasn't long before the emptied plate of cakes had gone and their effect started to tell on the vicar who looked on amazed as Norris wondered at length if cats had souls and Rita laughed uproariously at his comments. Emily reminisced regardless about her old friend Bernard Morten (and at one point wondered aloud what was under a vicar's cassock) and Roy wittered on about Doris Day while the vicar watched on, silent and aghast.

Although Emily was deeply ashamed and puzzled about her behaviour, it didn't keep her away from the church as she was present the following March when Amy Barlow's christening took place at St. Christopher's and Miles officiated. What should have been a standard service though descended into chaos after Karen McDonald, already on an emotional brink as Steve McDonald was the father of the baby following a one-night stand, discovered that mother Tracy Barlow had almost ruined the McDonald's wedding the month before by cancelling all the bookings and the ceremony of her dreams had only taken place as Steve had had to carry out some swift and costly rearrangements. Convinced that Steve was at the christening, Karen interrupted the service and physically attacked Tracy on the steps of the altar. The vicar remonstrated angrily with her but Karen was too far gone to listen and he stormed away from the service as Karen heaped more abuse on Tracy and threatened her life if she didn't stay away from her and Steve in the future.


 * The character was billed as "Rev Ashbourne" on his first appearance and "Reverend Ashbourne" on his second. His first name of Miles was given in dialogue in his second appearance.

List of appearances

 * Episode 5581 (14th September 2003)
 * Episode 5716 (19th March 2004)