A BARMAID selected to take part in a Morris dance group's fertility ritual is now expecting twins.

Claire Jeffrey (22) found herself caught up in the dance

ritual, which dates to before the Doomsday Book, when the White Horse Morris Men visited the Bell at Wylye last year.

Neither Claire nor her partner, Brian Carte (30), chef at the Bell, believed the fertility dance would actually work - despite its boasted 50 per cent success rate.

But Claire did indeed become pregnant - and she is expecting her babies in July.

"It was a bit of a shock but it was also good news and we are both delighted," she said.

Last week, the White Horse Morris Men returned to the Bell to give a special St George's Day performance and again included the fertility dance as part of the entertainment.

Bob Hill (50), the group's treasurer, said: "It's one particular dance where we pick out a young lady in the audience to help us.

"We put her in the middle, dance around her and then put her up in the air."

He added: "Over the past seven years, we've had about 20 young ladies who have become pregnant, and that's who we know of.

"We actually have about a 50 per cent success rate - the oldest lady was 44."