Congregation disturbs thief in church raid

Parishioners of a Telford church got the shock of their lives when they turned up for the regular early morning Sunday service - and found a man inside looting the building.

The thief fled after he was disturbed by churchgoers turning up for the 8am service at St Matthew's Church in Donnington yesterday.

The service had to be cancelled as police investigated the scene, although the 10am service went ahead as normal.

Officers believe the man broke into the church in St Matthew's Road at around 7am by using a paving slab to smash one of the leaded glass windows on the front door.

More than £500 worth of damage was caused to the doors during the burglary and the thief stole an unknown amount of alcohol and a collection bag with around £90 in it as he fled.

Telford police spokesman Chris Ammonds said: "A member of the public believes that she saw the thief - who she describes as being male - leaving the scene and making off towards some nearby woods."

St Matthew's churchwarden Christine Lawlor said the congregation had been left "disappointed and shocked" by the raid.

She said: "I think it is really sad that somebody feels that they need to do that. If somebody needed help, if they came to the church the church would have helped them."

Mrs Lawlor said the church's insurance should cover the cost of the damage and insisted it was business as usual.