Saint's statue taken on flight over Italian town after procession ban

Firefighters in the central Italian town of Rieti have found a new way to put a saint on show, after the annual feast day procession was cancelled because of Covid-19.

A statue of Saint Barbara was strapped to the side of the fire brigade helicopter so residents could see her from below.

The 4 December Rieti feast normally attracts hundreds of visitors, including from neighbouring countries.

Barbara is the patron saint of both firefighters and the town of Rieti.

4 December 2020