A young squirrel drove worshippers nuts at an early morning service at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.

The bushy-tailed sanctuary-seeker caused chaos in the cathedral as he led staff on a merry chase.

The cheeky chappie bounded up and down the nave before disappearing behind the High Altar.

Visitors and members of the congregation then watched in disbelief as vergers began searching under pews for the disrespectful rodent, in scenes strangely reminiscent of Basil the Rat's great escape in TV's Fawlty Towers.

The squirrel was first spotted in the cathedral by cleaner Glyn Lyon just before 7.20am morning prayers. But she failed in her efforts to coax it into a nearby garden. When church officials got involved, the agitated rodent raced towards the altar.

Cathedral Precentor the Rev Justin Lewis-Anthony said: "Fortunately, we didn't have any services until six in the evening.

"But visitors seeing two vergers and the Precentor running up and down looking under the pews must have wondered what was going on."

A large bag of fruit and nuts produced by verger Matthew Power proved to be a God send.

A carefully-laid trail eventually coaxed the squirrel into the sacristy for the duration of the service. Later, a nut trail led to the cathedral door and by morning the squirrel had gone.

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