New Zealand vicar rescues women from panty shortage

You have to hand it to the Kiwis: They don't take things like a shortage of bras, panties and other "close to the body" items sitting down.

Inglewood, New Zealand has a problem. The only store in the community of 3000 which carried womens' underwear decided not to do that anymore.

Call in the local Anglican minister to provide a rescue!

A New Zealand clergyman has been dubbed the "knicker-vicar" for coming to the aid of women in his town who found themselves with a brief problem.

Concern was raised when the only clothing shop in the small North Island town of Inglewood stopped selling women's underwear.

So the Reverend Gary Husband proposed starting a regular "knickers-run" to the nearby city of New Plymouth.

"We get all the essentials here - apart from the ladies' essentials," he said.

The first run is planned before Christmas and, if successful, could be become a regular monthly event, he added.

He said he came up with the idea after the problem was brought to his attention by women in his congregation.

"Someone came up with the point that it was a bit difficult that ladies' essentials were not able to be bought in Inglewood," he told National Radio.

"So we're going to have what's been called a knickers run."

Volunteers will take anyone without transport the 20km (12 miles) from Inglewood to New Plymouth.

Of course, the whole initiative is eccumenical.

Rev Husband said the scheme was open to all, regardless of faith.

"This is for the community... the response has been positive, we've had one (other) denomination get in touch with us, so it's spreading."

Well done the Padre!

Another measure the Vicar might want to try is mail-order. Deliveries on Wednesdays... right after choir practice.