Heavens... someone’s stolen our roof!
THIEVES have stripped the entire roof off a church, escaping with up to £20,000 of lead, leaving parishioners stunned.
About 20 tons of lead were taken from the Grade I-listed 14th centruy All Saints Church in Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire.
The theft was discovered on Tuesday when sunlight poured in through the ceiling and rubble was found lying on the ground.
It is feared that the repair costs will not be covered by insurance. Scrap lead can be sold for more than £1,000 a ton. Inspector Nick Masters, of Bedfordshire Police, described the thieves as ‘audacious’ and said they may have posed as tradesmen to avoid suspicion.
Church treasurer Joyce Bullock said: ‘I don’t know how we are going to pay for it.’ Parishioner Sarah Hannant said: ‘This is devastating – it has caused a lot of stress. It just takes the wind out of your sails.’ However, churchwarden Margaret Tyler said a wedding and harvest festival service would go ahead this weekend.