A full sized microlight has been squeezed through the doors of a church for a harvest celebration with a difference.

The Rev Andrew Studdert-Kennedy, rector of St Mary’s Church in Marlborough, said the operation was carried out ‘on a wing and a prayer’.

As well as the usual harvest festival produce of fruit, wheat and vegetables, the St Mary’s celebration will include produce from local factories and workshops, including the £30,000 Quik-R microlight made at Clatford by P & M Aviation.

The job of easing the aircraft through the doors of the ancient church fell to the company’s technical director Bill Brook and servicing manager Robin Kraike.

First they removed its ten metre wide wing, but they were left scratching their heads as they tried to work out how to get the fuselage through church doors half a metre narrower than its axle.

After removing the wheel-guards to reduce the width they managed, with help from the rector and curate Tim Seago, to manoeuvre the aircraft through the narrow main doors.

After they began to re-assembled it, Mr Studdert-Kennedy exclaimed: “The eagle has landed.”

The M in M3 exhibition of locally manufactured goods runs in the church from tomorrow noon to 8pm, on Saturday 10am to 6pm and on Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The actual harvest festival service is at 10am on Sunday.

Other items on display will include tarpaulins made by Dobie Wyatt Ltd at Cadley, a giant BAFTA mask from JSM model makers of Mildenhall; light fittings by Garman and ceramics from the Marlborough Tile Company.

Mr Studdert-Kennedy said: “The intention is to have the aircraft standing there rather like the Angel of the North and beneath its wings we will display some of the other things made locally.”