CREATURES great and small joined the usual congregation at Chiseldon's Holy Cross Church for a service with a difference.

Worshippers took advantage of the good weather to gather outside in the churchyard of Holy Cross for their annual pets service.

And they were joined by a total of 13 dogs, a nervous looking cat, three guinea pigs, four horses and a Shetland Pony.

Overseeing the service was lay preacher Patricia Barry who explained the idea behind the event: "The pets service is always very popular here. Essentially it is our chance to praise God for his creation. It is a celebration of creatures and I have written the words of the service to reflect this."

She explained that some of the children were reading out poems dedicated to their pets as part of the service.

Among those attending were Liz Bullers, a lecturer at New College, from Chiseldon. She was accompanied by her pets Cassie, a collie cross and Jessie the King Charles Spaniel.

She said: "I think it is a wonderful idea. I am a regular here at the church, but having the service outside with all these wonderful animals is terrific fun."

Villager Ann Mumford took along her dogs Psyche, a mongrel, Liberty, a beagle who was too small to join the pack, and a three-legged bull terrier called Pudsley who had been rescued after being used in dog fights in Ireland.

She said: "I decided against bringing along my ferrets which are still at home. I brought them along to last year's service, but it became quite difficult to keep control of them all."

Edward the Shetland pony and Merlin the thoroughbred horse were taken to the service by owners Hannah Kinneir, 21 and her mother Rose.

Hannah said: "The pair of them are great friends. It is nice to have the chance to bring them along to this service. It is always enjoyable."