An ant farm caused a stir at a church service for all creatures great and small.

Organisers of the pet service at St Andrew's Church, Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, had been told to expect a horse.

Arrangements had been made should it misbehave. But neither horse nor rider was anywhere to be seen.

Instead, it was the ant farm which ranked as the most off-beat attender.

The Reverend Matthew Evans, of the Fountains Group of parishes, who conducted the service, said: "The ant farm came in a plastic cake box, filled with soil and with ants crawling all over the place.

"It was certainly unusual. I gather it was started after someone picked up the idea via the Internet."

Meanwhile, sitting proudly in a peanut butter jar was an unnamed beetle, among a host of dogs and a lone cat.

The service was held to mark Rogationtide, the forerunner to Ascension Day.

There was a lot of noise from the pets shortly before the service started. But, when Mr Evans appeared, a hush descended.

Was it divine intervention? "I couldn't possibly comment," said the clergyman.

There was a blessing for pets and people and a pledge that the service would be repeated next year.