A teacher claims she felt "extremely threatened" by a Cumbria vicar after confronting him about a rumoured affair.

Rosalind Denby said Reverend Harry Brown became "extremely angry" when she told him a woman had confided in her about an affair she was having with him.

Mr Brown, priest-in-charge at Crosscrake and Preston Patrick, had his licence revoked last September following allegations of sexual harassment, intimidating behaviour, mental abuse and financial irregularities.

He is appealing against the revocation at a hearing in York, which is being heard by the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope.

I was extremely shocked and felt extremely intimidated

Rosalind Denby

Mrs Denby, who was then a teacher at Endmoor Primary School, in Preston Patrick, described how Mr Brown became very angry when she asked him about it, and told her he knew of rumours about her too.

She told the hearing: "He then became extremely angry."

Mrs Denby added: "He said he'd heard rumours about me, and he defended me, but then he said that if I carried on spreading rumours about him, which I wasn't, then that would change.

"I was extremely shocked and felt extremely intimidated.

"His body language was intimidating, he's a very large man. I felt extremely threatened by him."

'In love'

Mrs Denby was asked by Michael Johnson, representing Mr Brown, why she believed the rumours about the vicar's affair to be true.

Mrs Denby replied: "She told me quite categorically that she was having an affair with Mr Brown. She told me she was in love with him. She told me exactly what happened."

Earlier a woman told the hearing how Mr Brown had pressed up against her on a settee at his vicarage leaving her feeling "frightened" and "vulnerable".

She said: "I interpreted it as sexual. I was mesmerised by looking at what was happening. I just couldn't believe what was happening.

"I did move away from him on several occasions. He kept on coming closer to me and I didn't like it. I have multiple sclerosis. He's a very large man.

"I felt very vulnerable and I wanted to get out."

The hearing continues.