INSTEAD of bless this house it was very much a case of Bless This Mouse as all creatures great and small congregated at Botley's Manor Farm Museum.

Dogs, hamsters, rabbits, rats and even a budgie were among this special flock which gathered for the museum's first open-air church service for pets.

The setting for the Bless This Mouse service was in a paddock next to the picturesque 13th century St Bartholmew Church which aptly overlooked the farm's duck pond.

It was like a famous episode from that TV hit The Vicar of Dibley as Botley's very own Noah's Ark was blessed by lay readers Terry Ozanne and John Read from the village's All Saints Church.

The special service held at the county council's historic site proved a big hit with owners and their pets. So much so that it could be repeated next year.

About 150 worshippers took part after snapping up the opportunity to bring along their favourite pets and "enjoy a church service with a difference."

Manor Farm's visitors services manager Richard Haworth said: "It is the first time we have had a pets' service and it proved very popular. We would like to repeat it."

The service featured original hymns, along with some traditional favourites, and the music was provided by a piano accordion. The pets were well behaved - barking from the predominantly canine congregation did not drown out the singing.