English church repeatedly targeted by vandals
Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused to St Patrick’s Church, in Owton Manor, Hartlepool, including about a dozen broken windows. Church managers said vandals targeted the church over four successive nights. They broke and damaged stained and coloured glass windows and left areas inside covered in masonry and debris.
David Frank, chair of St Patrick’s Community Council, which looks after the church, said: “All week we have been cleaning up after them. It’s very upsetting for parishioners.”
The first damage was caused on the night of Tuesday, April 5, and was discovered the following day when David went to open the church for a mass service.
He said: “We tidied up for mass. But when we came the next day they had come back after we had gone and made an awful lot of damage.”
The vandalism has been reported to the police who are appealing for information. David said the vandals returned again on Thursday, April 7, and Friday, April 8.
Source: hartlepoolmail.co.uk