Church roof targeted by vandals

Vandals have been up on the roof causing damage at St Paul's Church, King St, Morley - church is raising money for repairs and this incident sets them back less than a month before Christmas.
Rev. Sue Forrest-Redfern with Ian Grundon (warden) and Steve Coates (Fabric team) — Vandals have been up on the roof causing damage at St Paul's Church, King St, Morley - church is raising money for repairs and this incident sets them back less than a month before Christmas. Rev. Sue Forrest-Redfern with Ian Grundon (warden) and Steve Coates (Fabric team)

St Paul’s Church, on King Street, Morley was targeted by vandals who got onto to the roof by climbing up scaffolding.

The church roof is already in a state of disrepair but ongoing improvements have now been put back as a result of the damage.

Reverend Sue Forrest-Redfern said: “People have taken advantage of the fact that the scaffolding was up to carry out the repairs.

“They’ve taken the tiles and now it looks awful.

“There is most likely going to be water damage.

“We can’t leave it as it is, as it’s a real nightmare.

“We’ve got a big building here that we want the community to use.

“I think some people believe the Church of England has this huge resource from which to run churches.

“But the truth is locals who go to the church have to sustain them, and rightly so.

“But coming just before Christmas, this is an extra cost for us that we could do without.”

The estimated cost has been calculated at £400 - money that church warden Ian Grundon says will be hard to find.

He said: “This is the first time people have deliberately taken advantage of the scaffolding being put up.”

“It’s money that we don’t have but that we have to find from somewhere.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “Police were called to a church in Morley following reports of criminal damage which is believed to have occurred between 5pm on Friday, November 25 and 10am on Saturday, November 26.

“Anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously or who has any information should contact police via 101, quoting 13160709576.”