Celebrity vicar Rev Richard Coles has admitted to secretly placing pets’ ashes in their owners’ coffins.

He made the admission at the recent Hay Literary Festival, explaining that he did so during his service at his former church, St Mary the Virgin in Northamptonshire.

The 64-year-old told the audience he knew it was “illegal to bury a dog’s ashes with a body.”

According to Environment Agency guidance, pet ashes are classified as animal waste and must be treated separately from human remains for burial and environmental regulation purposes.

Rev Coles compared his actions to former clergy who permitted the unbaptised and those who died by suicide to be buried in churchyards. Historically, Church of England rules enforced the separation of burial areas, although since 2015 the Church has allowed full Christian funerals and burials for such individuals.

Online memorial forums and pet cremation websites suggest many people request to be buried alongside their pets.

Coles said he ignored the rules to fulfil people’s final wishes, adding: “I know that my predecessors didn’t really care. They would extend mercy, because there are no limits to God’s mercy.”

He added: “There is a wideness to God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea, and it’s our job to live in accordance with that.”

Rev Coles retired from parish duties in 2022, citing differences with the Church of England’s stance on same-sex marriage.