Popular Malvern donkey event is blessed with glorious sunshine

Organiser Rev Val Needham described the event, which included blessing pets and the town's water sources, as "triple blessed by the weather".

She said: "Our rescue donkeys and their fans were definitely walking on sunshine at the blessing in front of the Malvern Museum.

"Old friends and new were keen to meet Alfie and his pals Peter, Daisy and Bluebell as they sheltered from the sun under the Priory Gatehouse."

Rev Needham and fellow ministers Rev Sheila Simmonds, Brother Peter Coombes and Re David Wetton welcomed as their special guest water cure expert and chairman of the Malvern Spa Association John Harcup.

Dr Harcup attended with a visitor from the Czech spa town of Marianske Lazne, while Rev Needham had in her team 17-year-old Joanna Niemiec, on holiday from Poland.

She and her aunt Anetta Doracynska took part in the procession team, decked out in spring colours and wearing floral headdresses.

Also taking part in the parade were May Queen Grace Giudicotti-Poplawska, Thomas Coombes, who taught magic tricks to children in the crowd, including Scarlet Gagen, Leia Toogood and Leonora Simmonds Heins.

Percussionist Garry Low accompanied the team’s exuberant rendition of the gospel number Wade in the Water, and cellist Julia Palmer-Price played the Celtic blessing Deep Peace.

The event ended with the rescue donkeys making their way down Church Street .

The collection from the event, totalling £121.82, will be divided between Penny Ha’Penny Horse and Pony Rescue Centre and the Malvern Spa Association.

Rev Needham said: "It wasn’t as much as the team and I would have wished for, as these two charities do so much good work, and I hope that perhaps donations might still continue to be forwarded to them.

"But the people who came with their children and pets were truly wonderful and joined in wholeheartedly everything we did and that made up for all the hard work that goes into these events."