The Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster has reported this week a rise in the number of trainee priests, announcing its largest intake in six years.

At a time when the UK is looking increasingly to Eastern European countries like Poland to fill up the shortfall in Catholic priests, the rise in new trainees will be a welcome sign of growth.

This September alone has seen the enrolment of 14 new students at the Archdiocese Allen Hall seminary in Chelsea, Catholic newspaper The Universe reported. The new trainees bring the total number of training priests at Allen Hall to 37.

We are delighted that the number of students for the priesthood at Allen Hall is continuing to rise," said Allen Hall Rector Fr Paul McGinn.

"As more men come forward and are selected for the priestly formation at Allen Hall, and as our existing seminarians and recently ordained priests help to spread positive news about the priesthood to others, I sense a growing confidence in our diocese regarding the promotion and encouragement of the vocation of every Christian and, specifically, the possibility of priestly vocation."

Westminster's Director of Vocations Fr Chris Vipers added: "I am very encouraged by the increasing numbers of men who are inquiring about the priesthood."

Fr Vipers added that another twenty men were expected to attend the Archdiocese's next occasional meeting to be held in November for those interested in becoming priests.

Of the new arrivals at Allen Hall, eight are students for the Diocese of Westminster bringing the total number of trainees for the Westminster Diocese to 18. They will go on to serve as priests in some of the diocese's 216 parishes.

Some of the trainees will also go on to serve in the Diocese of Lancaster and the Order of St Augustine.

Earlier this year, the Catholic Church in the west of England launched a recruitment drive in a bid to boost the numbers entering into the priesthood.

A series of promotional posters and other material will accompany the recruitment campaign that features a young 25-year-old Bristol man who is being ordained as a priest this year.

The campaign will be overseen by Fr Robert King, vocations director for the Clifton Diocese, and will also feature material that describes life in the priesthood as "real active service".