Priest in Redruth makes dog collar from milk bottle
- Published
A quick-thinking parish priest has used a plastic milk bottle to make himself an emergency dog collar.
The Reverend Caspar Bush, Rector of Redruth in Cornwall, was in need of a new one after his last one snapped on Friday 17 November.
He used a 4 pint milk bottle to fashion the garment, explaining "no other bottle seemed to have a big enough flat bit that was completely white".
He wore the new collar to carry out church duties at the weekend.
The black shirts worn by Mr Bush have a 32mm clerical collar - known informally as a dog collar - but recently his supplier changed the material they used for making dog collars.
He said: "They sent them with very rigid plastic that would only just about bend, and they would snap. So I ran out. I couldn't bring myself to send off to the shirt manufacturers to ask for more so I made a new one this way.
"It's actually a little bit thinner than I'd have liked but it has worked so far, and nobody has noticed any difference - apart from my friends who I told on Facebook!"
Mr Bush described the move as "mildly smile worthy" and this prompted him to share it on social media.
"Dog collars are like a badge, and are still widely recognised", he said.
"Monday is my day off and I don't wear one then, but on any other day, whenever I do anything, I will always wear a dog collar".
Mr Bush, himself a former dairy farmer, said: "apparently in the old days they would use fairy liquid bottles, but they've changed format and don't work anymore".
He also revealed that he always keeps spare "sub-standard" dog collars in his car glove box and his diary, adding "with disappointing frequency, and this happens to all clergy, I forget to put it on in the morning".
- Published10 December 2007