Norwich Cathedral: Bishop delivers sermon from helter-skelter

God would be "revelling" in the joy a "glorious" helter-skelter has brought to Norwich Cathedral, its bishop has told his congregation from its slide.

The fairground ride had been in the nave of the cathedral for 11 days.

It was intended to give people a different view of the building, although some accused the cathedral of "making a mistake".

The Bishop of Lynn, the Rt Revd Jonathan Meyrick, delivered his sermon from halfway up the ride.

"God is a tourist attraction," he told his congregation during the cathedral's final service with the helter-skelter as a backdrop

"God wants to be attractive to us... for us to enjoy ourselves, each other and the world around us and this glorious helter-skelter is about just that."

The bishop had climbed to the top of the helter-skelter before edging halfway down the slide, where he stopped to deliver his sermon.

He then received a loud cheer as he whooshed to the bottom.

"Enjoying ourselves is a good thing to do and God will be revelling in it with us and all those people who have found fun and joy and laughter here," he said.

An estimated 20,000 people have visited the cathedral between 7 and 18 August, with about 10,000 riding the helter-skelter, the cathedral said.

The Rev Canon Andy Bryant told the service a woman with cancer who visited the cathedral for quiet reflection found the helter-skelter "gave her a much needed distraction at a dark time of her life".

Last week, the Rt Revd Dr Gavin Ashenden, former chaplain to the Queen, said the cathedral had been unprofessional and was "poisoning the medicine" a church offered.

The cathedral said the helter-skelter allowed people to stand close to its medieval roof bosses, thought to be one of the largest displays of its kind in the world.

Norwich Cathedral is not the only place of worship to use unconventional methods to attract members of the public.

The central aisle of Rochester Cathedral has also been converted into a crazy golf course.