Vicar gives his blessing... to new lawn mower

TYPICALLY vicars tend to bless newborn babies or newly married couples, but now an unusual new arrival has been given the church’s seal of approval.

The reverend Steven Rothwell, Rector of Gamlingay and Hatley, carried out a blessing on a new lawn mower, which will be used in the churchyard and nature reserve at St Denis’ Church, East Hatley.

Rev Rothwell said: “In seven years of rural ministry, this is the first lawnmower I’ve ever blessed!”

The churchyard is looked after by a team of local volunteers, who work to a management plan drawn up by South Cambridgeshire District Council, which owns the redundant church. It calls for the grass to be left until the wild flowers have seeded.

Volunteer Peter Mann said “Every year we’re faced with the problem of cutting long, often very wet grass. Our rotary mowers are fine if the grass is dry and fairly short, but the recent wet summers have made cutting very difficult, particularly in August or September when the grass has grown extremely long flopped over.

“We looked for alternatives and this new scythe mower, which cuts an inch or so off the ground near the base of the grass, is far more efficient and will make our job much easier.”