A tiny Shropshire village welcomed one of the world’s most respected statesmen when he jetted in to attend the wedding of his god-daughter.Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is more used to mediating in political flashpoints around the globe, visited More, near Bishop’s Castle, on Sunday.

Archbishop Tutu was in the county for the wedding of his god-daughter Nina Kenyon, from Wentnor, to Andrew Cox at St Peter’s Church.

The 76-year-old, who was invited by his friend Martin Kenyon, joined more than 200 other guests at the service.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner assisted the Reverend Norman Morris during the ceremony and spoke of his long friendship with Mr Kenyon which goes back to his days studying theology in London in the early 1960s.

He was accompanied by his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, a priest in the American Episcopalian Church, who led the prayers.

Following the service, he joined other guests at the reception at Walcot Hall, in Lydbury North, before enjoying a pub lunch at The Crown, in Wentnor.

Just 24 hours after arriving in the village, following a 10-year reunion with people involved in the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement in Belfast, he was flying off again to Cairo for the next stage of talks aimed at sorting out the problems in Gaza.

Mr Kenyon, 78, said he was thrilled Archbishop Tutu had attended.

“We met in 1965 when he was studying at King’s College, in London, and have remained fast friends ever since.

“I asked him to be the godfather to Nina and I’m the godfather to his youngest daughter, Mpho,” he said.

“He is a lovely, lovely man with a wonderful family and we are all just so thrilled he was able to share our very special day with us.”