ALL creatures great and small congregated in an Oxfordshire church for a ceremony which saw dozens of pets blessed with Holy water.

Dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, hamsters and a rescue donkey joined their owners on – and underneath – pews at St John Vianney Church, in Wantage, on Sunday.

For the past 18 years the Catholic church in Charlton Road has allowed mutts and moggies to become members of the congregation for World Animal Day, which celebrates the Feast of St Francis of Assisi.

Tracey the donkey, who lives at the Island farm Donkey Sanctuary in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, led a procession into the church, followed by about 100 people – who came from as far afield as Bedford to have their animals blessed by Canon Peter Turbitt.

The service featured prayers and hymns for all the world’s creatures – including a special prayer for animals that had been killed or injured in recent natural disasters in Samoa, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Tony Kershaw, 48, from Grove, attended the service with his two daughters Rachael, 13, and Judith, eight – and their two rabbits Frank and Jupiter.

Mr Kershaw said: “Everything is God’s creation, and animals deserve as good a treatment as we do.

“This teaches the children to respect animals as much as humans.”

Susan Marshall, 79, of Park Town, Wantage, brought along 10-year-old Lola, a greyhound she got from a rescue centre six years ago.

Mrs Marshall said: “Lola enjoyed the ceremony very much. It’s important we show animals the same respect we pay to each other.”

The service has tripled in size since it began, launched by Wanda Oberman, after hearing about the inhumane transportation of veal calves to Europe.

She said: “This isn’t just about fluffy bunnies. It is about responsibility and inter-relation and to say how lucky we are to have such a wonderfully wide spectrum of creations.”

The mayor of Wantage Patrick O’Leary was among the worshippers.

The procession was led this year by Tracey the donkey as its usual star – Pollyanna –was on stage at the Royal Opera House in London.

Canon Turbitt said: “The service brings an interesting cross section of people together who all have a great love for nature and animals.”