BIRD song took on new meaning at a village church after a swift got stuck in a 100-year-old organ.

Parishioners of St Matthew’s Church, Harwell, rallied to the rescue when the swift became lodged in the organ pipe on Friday.

The bird was first spotted in the 12th century building on Wednesday and was then found to be trapped inside the instrument, which dates back to 1911, while church-goers held a meeting.

Three members of the congregation took time out to rescue the bird which was lodged in an organ pipe.

Buildings committee chairman Tony Hughes said: “We didn’t think that amateurs could remove a pipe.

“Instead, our small group, including a vet, tried unsuccessfully to move the bird to the upper open end of the pipe.

“It was only when we forewarned the organist, David Evans, that something might not sound quite as tuneful as it should during the Sunday service, that he suggested a rescue mission involving taking out the pipe.”

The group worked to free the bird by removing one of the instrument’s pipes.

Mr Hughes added: "It took two of us only half an hour for a very disorientated bird to emerge.

"By the time we had replaced the organ pipe it had recovered enough to move gingerly on to its next adventure.

"Swifts and swallows often find their way into the church at this time of year and fly around.

"But we don’t know of one falling down an organ pipe before."

St Matthews, in Church Lane, was mainly built in the 13th century and shares a rector with All Saints Church in Chilton.

The Church, in Church Lane, was mainly built in the 13th century and shares a rector with All Saints Church in Chilton.