|PIC1|Bishop Augustine Harris, who led the official opening of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, has died last week, aged 89.

Bishop Harris, who is reported to have died peacefully at Ince Blundell, celebrated 40 years as a bishop in a special Mass at the cathedral last year.

The celebrated church leader was born in West Derby and studied for the priesthood at St Joseph's College in Upholland.

He went on to work at St Oswald's in Old Swan and St Elizabeth's in Litherland and then as a prison chaplain at Walton Prison.

In 1966, Bishop Harris was made Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool. Following his appointment, just months later, the Archbishop suffered a serious heart attack, leaving Bishop Harris to oversee preparations for the opening of the first catholic cathedral built in the 20th Century, the BBC reports.

Later in 1978 he was appointed as Bishop of Middlesbrough.

The Bishop returned to Liverpool on retirement 15 years ago.