Anger as vandals attack church

MINDLESS vandals smashed windows at a struggling Lees church, leaving parishioners with a hefty repair bill.

The damage at St Thomas’s Church, Leesfield, was discovered on Sunday morning as preparations for the Whit Walks were getting under way.

Saddleworth West and Lees councillor Val Sedgwick, a former warden at the Thomas Street church and a regular member of the congegation, said: “It is just sheer wanton vandalism that makes your blood boil.

“We are already struggling to keep this church going so this is the last thing we need.

“Thomas Street is not a quiet street and I am sure someone must have heard these yobs throwing stones and smashing the windows on Saturday night.

“We have not found out how much it will cost to repair but they are lead windows so it won’t be cheap.

“We seem to have been targeted recently. We had lead stolen from the roof earlier this year and we really can’t afford to keep shelling out for these acts of vandalism.

“Whoever did this really is a dirty, rotten scumbag and if I find out who it is I will make sure they pay for the damage they have caused.”

If anyone has any information about the vandalism they can call Councillor Sedgwick on 0161-652 4507 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.