'PhD in snowboarding' for vicar

A vicar has picked up a "PhD in snowboarding" after studying the link between his hobby and spirituality.

The Rev Neil Elliot obtained his doctorate from Kingston University in the sociology of religion after exploring the relationship between spirituality and snowboarding for his thesis.

Mr Elliot has been snowboarding for the last 15 years and even moved to Canada in 2005 to be closer to the mountains.

He now ministers at St Andrew's Church in Trail, British Columbia.

His thesis focused on whether moments of "Zen" experienced out on the slopes by snowboarders were spiritual.

According to the Evening Standard, the idea for his thesis came after he realised he had had "spiritual moments" while snowboarding.

"I came across the term 'soul riding' and was fascinated by it," he said.

"My aim was to see what it meant for riders and if it was spiritual."

Mr Elliot interviewed 35 snowboarders who felt they had experienced something spiritual while snowboarding.

"Riders found it sometimes all went silent and it was just them and the snow.

"Even the sensation of constant turning disappeared.

"They found moments like these were spiritual and they were completely focused on their riding, as if they board was guiding itself and they were just a passenger."

He concluded that for some snowboarders, riding became like a "meditation".

"They are present and not present, time stops, concerns, worries, even self-awareness fall away. They talk of moments of bliss."

Mr Elliot's thesis was supervised by Sylvia Collins-Mayo, an expert on religion and spirituality.