Priest disguises himself as a tramp to teach his own churchgoers a lesson

As the 70 churchgoers turned up for their regular Sunday morning service at the Methodist church in Prestatyn, north Wales they found a scruffy tramp sitting in the church porch.

Stinking of beer and dressed in filthy clothes, the disgusted churchgoers did their best to ignore him as they filed past.

This task was made even harder when the unwanted guest joined them on the pews, surrounded with syringes and drinking from a can of lager.

Rev Derek Rigby dressed as a tramp, left, to teach his congregation a lesson before revealing his true identity, right

They were therefore astounded - and perhaps more than a little embarrassed - when the ‘tramp’ threw off his scruffy clothes, removed his wig and revealed himself as their minister, Rev Rigby.

Rev Rigby pulled the stunt to remind the congregation about a passage in the Bible when Jesus’ disciples failing to recognise him because of the way he was dressed.

Rev Rigby said: ‘I went to great lengths to be as convincing as possible.

‘I didn’t shave for three days, made my hands and face dirty and drew on tattoos.

I’ bought some scruffy clothes at a charity shop, ripped the trousers, and put on a straggly wig and thick, broken glasses.

‘I then splashed lager over my clothes so I was stinking. I looked in the mirror before the service and I didn't recognise myself.’

Rev Rigby, who was a police officer for 15 years before being ordained 20 years ago, has tricked congregations in the same way at his previous parishes in London and Newport, South Wales.

He said: ‘I didn’t say a word the whole time because I thought someone would recognise my voice.

‘It was interesting to see the reaction from people - I was totally ignored.

‘It showed that we don’t recognise God at work and in each other.’

He said: "In other places I was given as much as £4.50, a packet of biscuits and a blanket - but in Prestatyn I got nothing.

‘I told the congregation they are a stingy lot.

‘Everyone was amazed and later complimented me on my acting skill, though some said I had made them feel terrible.’ 

Senior church member John Sproston was one of the first to arrive at the service to see the ‘tramp’ on the doorstep.

He said: ‘I think everyone was a bit worried, but when he came into church I thought “Hallelujah”.

‘We were all aghast when he took off his wig because he was very convincing.’