Llama to the rescue as vicar caught on the hoof

A proud Palm Sunday moment for Chisum the llama, at the altar with the Rev Nick Smeeton

CHISUM the llama hot-hoofed it to church at the weekend to help the Rev Nick Smeeton with his Palm Sunday services.

His plans were thrown into disarray when the donkey which was supposed to join in the service went lame, and a desperate 11th-hour search for a stand-in failed.

So the vicar turned to the next best thing — a llama — and invited his new furry friend to join him at the altar for two services, after tracking him down through the Saddleworth Llama Trekking company in Oxhey Lane, Denshaw.

The elegant beast turned out in his Sunday best — a rich brown coat — and arrived at St Stephen and All Martyrs Church, Lowermoor, Oldham, in plenty of time for his first duty.

The service started outside, then Chisum followed Mr Smeeton into church and stood alongside him at the altar for the first hymn.

He stayed to meet members of the congregation after the service before heading for Holy Trinity Church, where he took part in the service there.

Mr Smeeton said: “Chisum was a huge hit with the children and really helped us to capture something of the excitement of Jesus entry into Jerusalem in our worship.”