Dogs, cats and ponies attended a Cross Roads church on Sunday for a special service for pets.

The Rev Tracy Rishton, of St James’s Church, held the annual thanksgiving event, with a few innovations.

This year the VIP guests included dogs for the deaf and PATS dogs, which visit places like hospices and allow people to stroke them for comfort and pleasure.

Haworth Riding for Disabled ponies were side by side with the dogs and cats of owners who had come to thank God for their animals.

The vicar of St Luke’s Church, in Eccleshill, the Rev John Hartley, had written two hymns especially for the service and the one used was called “All the Cosmos”.

Mrs Rishton said: “One of our guests was Bonnie Kelly, who is hard of hearing, and she brought her dog Denver and explained to us what a difference he made to her life in a sort of question-answer style.”

Mrs Kelly, from Ilkley, told the KN: “You would not believe what Denver does for me. I used to be quite nervous sometimes about going out on my own but now I am not.”

Mrs Rishton also told the story of St Jerome and the Lion in the service, using a lion puppet. She said: “We will have another thanksgiving pet service next September on the third Sunday in the month at 3pm.”