Roof raiders prey on church

Cllr Val Sedgwick with Roy Atkinson, church warden at St Thomas the Apostle Church, Leesfield.

A FURIOUS councillor has branded callous raiders who stole lead from an historic church roof as “scumbags”.

The theft, the fifth in as many years, has caused problems with rain damaging the organ and soaking pew cushions at St Thomas the Apostle, Leesfield.

The organ was due to accompany a special service hosted by the Bishop of Manchester on Sunday.

In a bitter attack on the thieves who stole portions of lead from the church’s valley gutters, Councillor Val Sedgwick said angrily: “They have absolutely no respect for the church, its congregation or its place in the community.

“Our congregation is devastated by the damage. Goodness knows what the final bill for replacing the lead and the repairs to the organ will cost.”

The councillor, who is chair of the Saddleworth and Lees District Partnership, has been a member of the St Thomas congregation for 35 years.

“The problem is we don’t know exactly when the theft took place because of the recent dry spell,” she explained.

“But whoever stole the lead should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

“We are all really upset and if the thieves are caught they should be made to pay the full cost of the damage they have caused.

“It’s a despicable act. They are absolute scumbags.”
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