PALM Sunday service at St Mary’s Church, Bramshott, not only attracted many adults and children but also two regulars in the shape of rescue donkeys Maisie and Florence, who again stole the limelight.

Owners Chris and Cherry Blackmore and their donkeys take part in many church services, helping children and their parents to find out more about the rescue work they do.

Celebrating exactly five years as priest-in-charge-of-the-parish, Reverend Valentine Inglis-Jones, together with Canon Nigel Nicholson, welcomed the congregation to one of the most important services in the church calendar.

The legend of the cross on a donkey’s back, which was Jesus’ mount on Palm Sunday as he rode into Jerusalem, portrays the ever lasting reward for the loyalty of the humble donkey.

Hymns like ‘Ride on, ride on in Majesty’, ‘Meekness and Majesty’, and ‘Lord of the Dance’ filled the church and children waved palm crosses, which symbolise palm branches.

Rev Valentine remembered the plight of all refugees, as well as the work Canon Andrew White and his team does in Iraq and Jordan.

Today’s Good Friday services will begin with the planting of the cross at St Mary’s Church, at 7.30am, followed by the annual Walk of Witness starting at the Methodist Church Hall, in London Road, Liphook, at 10am

The Easter Sunday celebrations begin at 9.30am with an Easter breakfast at the Church Centre, in Portsmouth Road, Liphook, followed by an all-age Easter egg hunt, alongside an all-age communion service at St Mary’s Church in Bramshott, starting at 9.30am.

For more details, visit liphookchurch.co.uk.