In times like these, you have to laugh at anything you possibly can. Sometimes even at your own spectacular fails. Take this vicar for example, who set himself alight as he prepared for his church’s online service:

This hilarious video shows Reverend Stephen Beach, of St Budeaux Parish Church in Plymouth, as he prepared for his online Sunday Service which featured five candles in shot, but positioned just behind him.

As Rev. Beach was talking about the power of pausing to asking God ‘what are you saying to us’, he got a little too close to the flickering candles behind him – his jumper caught fire which led him to bat his shoulder in a bid to stop the blaze spreading.

In the video, Rev. Beach says: “Well, welcome back to our last part of our online worship experience from St Budeaux Parish Church.

“The last section we call ‘waiting’ and it’s a great thing to pause in the presence of God and ask the question, ‘God, what are you saying to us?’ And then, of course, to wait for the answer.

“I’ve just been pausing between these… Oh dear I’ve just caught fire. Oh my word. Ha.”

Rev. Beach’s neice shared the video on Twitter, writing: “My uncle is the vicar of St Budeaux Parish. Last night he gave his online sermon and things got a bit hot under the (dog) collar”.

Replying to the clip, one person wrote: “This is hands down the most British reaction to BEING ON FIRE!” Another added: “This has made my day. Possibly my year. Please send my best wishes to your Uncle.”

Updating people on the well-being of her uncle, Laura Evans wrote: “A hole in his favourite sermon jumper but unharmed otherwise”.

One generous viewer then offered to buy Rev. Beach out with some new clobber, commenting: “Knowing the value of a good sermon jumper I would happily buy him another”.

According to Plymouth Live, the video was filmed after the Church of England asked for all public worship to be suspended until further notice as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.