AT LEAST 20 dogs attended a pets service organised by the Revd Glyn Austin — but his own terrier, Boots, was not on the guest list.

She has what Mr Austin describes as “issues”, including biting other dogs. So, while a score of canines, two Shetland ponies called Lady Gaga and Will.i.am, and a galaxy of smaller feathered and furry creatures filled the pews at St Cenydd’s, Llangennith, near Swansea, Boots was in the vicarage.

Mr Austin, who was licensed to the parish last October on a house-for-duty basis, explained: “I adopted her from a dogs’ home in Cardiff in 2010. A number of people had previously taken her home to ‘try her out’, but had returned her because she had allegedly bitten people and other dogs. . . When we go out, we have to make sure there are no other dogs around.”

A congregation of more than 100, including 40 children and their pets, attended the service on the last Sunday in August. “There were many people in church I have never seen before, and many said they would like to come back for harvest,” Mr Austin said.

“I set it up so that we could involve local people in the church’s activities, and maybe encourage them to come along to our Sunday-morning service. . . We brought mops and buckets, but didn’t need them. I would certainly do it again.”