“I now pronounce you horse and wife...” was the final line from the Rt Rev Jeremy Westcott, who has officiated what is believed to be the UK’s first horse wedding.

Mr Westcott, landlord of the Bell Inn, in Buckland Dinham, has been performing animal weddings since March, but admits this is the wackiest so far.

He said: “We started doing the animal weddings after we began to host human weddings earlier this year.

“So far, I have officiated a dog wedding in which two Jack Russells were joined in matrimony.”

Ali Blofeld, from Faulkland, the owner of lovestruck horses Zippy and Magic, heard about the weddings and decided it would be a great idea for them.

She said: “I recently acquired Zippy and when I put him with Magic there was an instant attraction.

“The pair are inseparable. If one is in the stable the other one calls out from the field. It’s definitely love.”

The happy couple stood patiently as Mr Westcott read the blessing of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

The loving pair then kissed and the guests clapped at the end of ceremony to celebrate the partnership.

Magic wore a traditional white veil and Zippy had a buttonhole, strategically placed in his bridle.

After the ceremony the animals enjoyed a wedding breakfast of carrots and apples, and were then put back in their field to enjoy the rest of the day.

Mr Westcott said the ceremony had gone well and that he had only been worried about the horses saying “neigh” in the wrong place.

The wedding was filmed by satellite television channel WeddingTV and will be broadcast in the next month.