A red-faced vicar claims he has lost a crate of fine red wine that was donated to his church for use in Holy Communion.

The Rev Evan Elpuss, 64, said he left the crate in the vestry at St Emilion Church in Ipswich, Suffolk.

But when he turned up for a service on Sunday, the vintage red wine had disappeared.

Nobody else has a key to the vestry, and there were no signs of a break-in.

“I had so much on over the last day or two; it’s all been a bit of a blur,” said Rev Elpuss.

“I’m sure the wine will turn up soon. In the meantime, if any of the congregation would like to donate some more, I should be very grateful.”

Perplexed parishioner Lorraine Fisher, 34, said this was not the first time some alcohol had gone astray.

“Last year, some beer and a bottle of vodka left in the church hall overnight for a fete raffle prize also went missing.

“None of us can work out what could possibly have happened to it.”

She admitted that Rev Elpuss had seemed a little forgetful recently. “He’s not at his best first thing in the morning. Or later in the day, come to think of it,” she said.

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