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A thrilled vicar has posted more than 3,140 free Bibles after his impromptu offer on TikTok garnered thousands of replies. Last May, Reverend David Sims posted what he admitted was "a ridiculous video" on social media offering free Bibles to anyone who asked.

But the vicar, from St Thomas Church in Aldridge, Walsall, in the West Midlands, woke the next morning to find himself inundated with requests. Now he's revealed he has sent out over 3,140 free Bibles, with requests from Africa and Asia. Although finances do not allow him to send them abroad, he's instead tried to link those users to local churches.

He believes something is "stirring", and more people are becoming interested in faith and spirituality.

"I just think it's really exciting. I think the assumption is that the Bible is outdated, Christianity is dusty and church is boring," he said. "But that's just not what I'm seeing."

Recalling his original video, Rev Sims explained: "I made up a little song which was, if you want a Bible, message me for a free one.

"I think I had about 500 messages overnight. It had tens of thousands of views. It just went on like that for a good few weeks."

Keen to not turn anyone away, his church sprang into action with a CrowdFunding page being launched to help pay for all the Bibles, so far raising around £10,500 - as each Bible costs around £4 to source.

Adding that the books are all blessed, he said: "We started doing a weekly Bible packing party every Monday morning."

Volunteers dispatch them with a handwritten note and a booklet pointing recipients towards their closest Alpha or introduction to Christianity course.

He added: "If this is the first Bible someone gets, we want them to feel valued and we want them to have a good gift from us."

Rev Sims receives scores of messages of thanks, some of which are particularly memorable.

He recalled: "One I had was saying, 'My Bible arrived on the day of my mother's funeral, and that means so much to me'. This person was really searching in the midst of grief."

The vicar started using TikTok during lockdown and has since seen his account praised by MPs, but said he did not start with a clear strategy.

"I just did it because a friend of mine said you'll be good on TikTok as you're good at doing silly things," he said.

He now does a TikTok church each Sunday, "ask me anything" sessions, and enjoys clerical debates with other users.

"To begin with, I didn't really know what I was doing," he said. "I think now my aim on TikTok is just really to tell people about Jesus, and if they end up at a church, that's great.

"I'm not going on there to advertise St Thomas's church ministry. It's not about that. I go on there shamelessly to plug Jesus."