14252/1GAZETTE & HERALD: Animals great and small braved the rain to attend an animal blessing at St Peter's Church, Blackland in Calne.

The blessing was originally a suggestion from Isabella Gage, who is a churchwarden for St. Peter's Church, five years ago.

At the event on Sunday, the Rev Bob Kenway blessed 18 ponies, one donkey, one rat, one cat, two hamsters, one finch and eight dogs.

Mrs Gage, who runs the Heddington Wick Children's Riding School, said the event was successful.

"I was very impressed. It was a very good turnout considering the weather warnings the few days before," she said.

"Peter the donkey came and he managed to stay undercover in the rain but the ponies got wet. It's a lovely event. It's the fifth year we have done it.

"The vicar has a real way with animals. He blessed each of them and said a prayer."

Mrs Gage said around 60 people turned up and around half of those were children.

She said: "The children loved riding them over from Heddington."

Mr Kenway, who took his finch, said even though there were so many animals there were no problems.

"It was good apart from the weather which was the worst thing," he said.