The owl service always sleeps

[Gob]

A wedding service was delayed when an owl bearing rings fell asleep in the church roof.



Darcy the barn owl was meant to fly down the aisle at Holy Cross Church in Sherston, Wiltshire, and deliver rings to Sonia Cadman and Andrew Matley.

Instead the one-year-old owl flew into the church roof to roost. It took about an hour to get her down.

Reverend Christopher Bryan said: "We tried all we could to get it down but it just wouldn't budge."

He said the owl seemed "very happy" in the roof and could not be tempted down with a treat.

"It must have been an hour before they got a ladder to rescue it," he said.

The specially-trained owl had been hired by Ms Cadman as a surprise for her fiance, who is interested in falconry.

Darcy was only trusted with replica rings, with the real bands kept in Mr Matley's pocket.

"The owl was meant to deliver the rings to the glove my husband-to-be was wearing," Ms Cadman said.

"But she just flew straight past the glove and straight up into the top of the church and sat in the rafters.

"She shut her eyes and went to sleep."

Despite the delay, Ms Cadman said it had not spoilt her wedding day, which was at the weekend, "in any shape".

"We thought it was funny and the guests were in absolute stitches," she said.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Nice looking owl.

[Miles]

They should have hired Harry Potters owl.

[Lord Jim]

Cute idea, but the large crowd probably spooked her.