TRACTORS big and small revved up the harvest celebrations at Worcester Cathedral last weekend.

Children and adults were able to find out more about farming, sit in a tractor and have a go at racing remote-controlled tractors at this year’s County Harvest Festival.

A ‘little grey Fergie’ model, made famous in the children’s cartoons, was also driven into the cathedral to join the service, alongside gifts from the Worcestershire Young Farmers.

Tractors outside the cathedral included a crop sprayer and a brand new John Deere, as well as the little grey Fergie. There was local apple juice to sample and visitors were entertained by Worcester City Brass.

Reverend Phillip Jones, part of the Chaplaincy for Agriculture and Rural Life which has organised the event, said: "The aim of the event was to help better connect people with farmers and all those people who do such an important job to provide what we take for granted on the shelves of our shops.

 

"Agriculture has such a vital role in providing for our daily needs and in shaping our countryside. Harvest-time is an opportunity to remind ourselves of this and to celebrate the hard work of all those who make this possible and to give thanks to God for the wonder of creation."

During the harvest festival service there was a procession by Worcestershire Young Farmers, who brought various gifts to the altar.

Prayers were offered focussing on the concerns of a range of organisations involved in farming and rural life and there were harvest hymns of thanks as well as music from the Cathedral Choir.