A new blonde vicar in her twenties has sent the congregation of a sleepy church soaring since taking to the pulpit.

Reverend Stephanie Nadarajah took up the post at St Mary the Virgin Church in Caterham, Surrey, at the age of just 29 after giving up a job as an NHS boss.

And in the past six months - as word got around about the new 'attractive, blonde curate' - the congregation at the church has rocketed with at least 150 locals turning up every Sunday.

Before her arrival, the congregation swayed between 75 and 100 people, but locals are now singing her praises.

Rev Nadarajah gave up a high-paying job as an NHS manager after graduating in theology at Cambridge University and deciding she fancied giving up 'normal life' to become God's servant.

She said: 'The congregation is thriving.  

'We get about 150-plus people every Sunday at our main service, and that's on the increase, which is great.' 

She said she still gets some 'shocked looks' when she tells locals she is the new curate, but says that she didn't want to 'attract all the attention'.

She said: 'If people look and say "goodness me, that's not what I expected" and listen to what I say, then that's great.

'You are always treading a fine line between using the person that you are, and what God has given you, to do good things in his name, and not to attract all the attention yourself and for it to become a sort of personality cult.' 

Speaking about her new job, she said she still felt 'a bit of a fraud' walking around in a dog collar.

Heaven sent: Sunday service attendance at St Mary the Virgin Church has doubled from around 75 to 150

She said: 'The first time I walked down the street in Caterham in a dog collar, I was so embarrassed.  

'I thought if anyone spoke to me I would just hand it over and say "you are right, I'm not who I claim to be, I picked it out of the wardrobe".' 

Local councillor John Orrick said: 'She doesn't fit the stereotype. Perhaps wrongly, you imagine vicars and curates will be men of a certain age.

'She's certainly made an impact since she arrived, and long may it continue.' 

Local Andrew Spencer, 52, said: 'It's great to see an attractive young lady at the church.

'She's not just a pretty face though - she's intelligent and a great listener and is really doing a good service for everyone around here.

'There used to be about 75 or 100 people at Sunday Service, but now you can count on at least 150 since Steph arrived.'

By Daily Mail