WHEN biker-vicar Graham Archer invited his superior for a game of squash to get to know him better, he had no idea it would leave him quite so red faced.

The keen motorcyclist had the new Bishop of Southampton on board when they were involved in an accident – and has had to endure the jokes from his colleagues ever since.

Although Bishop Jonathan Frost had only minor cuts and grazes, Vicar of Highfield, Canon Graham Archer, was left with a broken ankle and a broken rib after they were in collision with a car.

Luckily Canon Archer said he had seen the funny side of what had happened even though he admitted it was just a little embarrassing.

This is despite the fact he spent eight days in hospital, had two rounds of surgery, and is set to be in plaster for the next two months.

“Of course it’s embarrassing and my colleagues are making the most of it,” said Canon Archer.

“Somebody said something like ‘in the Middle ages bishops were killed off by ambitious clergy trying to get preferment’ and was I attempting to create a promotion for myself.

“I think a number of parishioners, particularly women, are quite relieved because they have husbands or sons that have been thinking of buying motorbikes.

“They have all been saying ‘well the vicar’s got one’.”

Despite not being able to put weight on his leg, Canon Archer, also the assistant dean for Southampton, is hoping to return to work in the next few days.

The father-of-three, who lives in Brookvale Road, Highfield, rides a Suzuki Bandit 1250, which he uses to visit his parishioners.

He is well-known in his parish for riding into the church on a motorcycle to illustrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

The accident happened when Canon Archer and the Bishop were on the bike headed for the St Mary’s Leisure Centre and collided with a car on Onslow Road last month.

The 52-year-old, who has been vicar at Highfield for the last 12 years, had planned the trip as a get-to-know you game of squash with the bishop, who took up his position last December.

He said: “The bishop has been really good, he’s visited me three or four times.”

“I’m being philosophical about it. If you ride bikes you realise there’s a risk something’s going to happen at some point.

“I have to say from my view I was really relieved that when I came around I was more worried about how he [bishop] was than how the bike was – I thought that was a very good sign for a pastor.”

Police are investigating the accident.