DOGS barked and wagged their tails as they attended a special Vicar of Dibley-style animal church service with their owners in Bournemouth yesterday.

The Rev Chris Colledge led the Christmas pet service at St Ambrose Church on Westcliff Road which was organised to give thanks for pets and animals at Christmas, as well as to remember treasure pets which have passed away.

Among the large number of people who attended the event, invited guests and speakers included Cllr John Beesley, leader of Bournemouth council; Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West; and Martyn Underhill, Dorset police and crime commissioner.

Mr Colledge said that recently he lost his own pet, Maisie the dog, after she died aged just six and he also reflected on the saying that “‘A house is not a home without a pet in it”.

He added: “Today we are bringing Christmas before the crib. We are thanking God for all our pets at Christmas.”

Animal lovers also had the chance to light candles and reflect on the pets that they miss and joined in with a number of carols including Little Donkey and Silent Night.

Julie Lankshear, who co-founded the Caring Canines charity with Sue Dennett, attended the service, which the charity helped to organise, along with several of the charity’s members and dogs.

She said: “We are very pleased with the number of people and number of our own members who turned up.

“The Church of England have an animal blessing every year in October and this year the Rev Chris Colledge was inspired to do something around following the death of his dog, Maisie.”

Julie added: “We also go to an annual service at St John’s the Evangelist Church in Holdenhurst and there they have cats, dogs, tortoises and even ponies. One year a lady also brought a chicken and a rabbit, which the vicar did a special blessing for.”