A two month 'life and death' struggle with the Coronavirus almost robbed Slough's St Paul's Church of its new vicar.

Right Reverend Doctor Tim Wambunya, 55, was appointed  at the church in Stoke Road at the start of this year.

He returned to Kenya, where he is ordained as a bishop, to see family members and to tidy up things after four years as head of a theological college.

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But he was taken ill when he arrived at Nairobi and the planned brief visit turned into a fight to survive.

He said: "I spent 18 days in intensive care and 40 after that in a ward.

"Even my wife was not allowed to see me.

"It has really strengthened my faith. You become more aware that there is a God. When your family has been asked to say goodbye to you as mine were - when you reach that point and come back you realise someone is in charge of your life and has decided you should have a little more.

"It draws a family closer together when they have come to see you every day. It has been quite enriching in that sense.

"I am greatly improved but still have a few aches and get breathless if I try to do too much."

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Mr Wambunya came to Britain at 19 and served in the navy for seven years before training for the priesthood. He was ordained at St Paul's Cathedral and served as a parish priest in Islington, before returning to Kenya as a mission partner and heading a theology college.

He and his wife Gertrude decided to return to England so he could be reunited with his sons Tim Junior, 23, Okar, 21 and David, 20.

Following the retirement at Slough's St Paul's Church of Reverend Mike Cotterell, Mr Wambunya was appointed to take his place.

The church has recently undergone a £1.7 million modernisation that took 15 years to complete.

Now Mr Wambunya is keen to follow in his footsteps of Mr Cotterell who was the driving force behind the work.