THIS is Wendy, the unsuspecting chicken who will be called upon to answer the call of nature when a North Yorkshire village holds a revamped version of its bizarre summer ritual.

White leghorn Wendy was selected as the champion chicken for this year's Linton-on-Ouse Festival, where the central attraction, Cowpat Bingo, has been replaced by Chicken Dropping Bingo because of the foot and mouth crisis.

On June 9, Wendy will be released into a field to do her business while eager villagers wait to see if her "little job" will grace the patch on which their bet lies.

Wendy was recruited after local farmer Chris Kirby was unable to provide a cow because of the foot and mouth crisis.

Linton's Village Hall Committee believed the festival wouldn't be the same without the bingo, and so its members dreamed up the idea of using a chicken instead.

Updated: 08:58 Thursday, June 07, 2001