PARISHIONERS in Ditteridge, near Box, will be following Ellie the donkey to St Christopher’s for the Palm Sunday procession after the church enlisted the help of the Jamie’s Farm jenny.

Ellie, who became the star of the show following the death of village donkey Bear a couple of years ago, will lead the procession from the Market Cross all the way up to the church porch on Sunday, where the story of Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem on a donkey will be told.

“It’s quite uncommon to see a donkey used in the procession nowadays, but it is something that we want to keep up here,” Rev Canon John Ayers said.

“We’re only a small church and a small village and we used to have this lovely old donkey called Bear, who we borrowed from the Goodings, but unfortunately he died.

“Trying to keep the tradition alive, we rang Jamie’s Farm, which provide farm stays for children, and they were only to happy to oblige and Ellie is wonderful.”

The procession starts at 10.30am following the blessing of the palms at the cross in the village.