ANIMALS of all shapes and sizes received a special blessing during a church service with a difference on Sunday.

The pews at St Barnabas Church, in Woodford Green, were packed with dozens of four-legged visitors during the annual animal blessing ceremony - which was conducted this year by new vicar, Father Graham Sawyer.

More than 50 dogs, cats and other pets were brought along to the service - which featured a sermon by Father Sawyer in which he gave thanks to God for all creatures great and small.

Father Sawyer, who owns two Dalmations himself, denounced any person who deliberately hurts animals and condemned those who refuse to buy free-range meat and eggs.

He said: "To mistreat animals is to mistreat God’s creation and to mistreat God. In short, it is evil to mistreat animals.

"Your pets love you not because you feed them but because you love them - and they know this.

"Animals in some ways are often superior to us because they are so simple. You show them love and they will show you love in return and in abundance.

"Love, compassion and a world where no being, strong or weak, human or animal, suffers is the sort of world that we all need to promote.

"Anyone who causes unnecessary suffering to animals is evil just as anyone who causes unnecessary suffering to humans is evil.

"We must shout out the message loud and clear."