TWO stained glass windows put in place at St Bartholomew's Church, in Colne, in 1857, have been wrecked by thugs.

The windows which measured 18" by 15" were smashed when stones were thrown through them.

Rector of the church, the Rev Mike Hartley, said it would cost thousands of pounds to replace them and protect them against further vandalism.

He said: "It makes me very angry that people do that to old stained glass as it will never be quite the same again.

"We will do our best to make it look nice again. At the moment they are boarded up.

"The windows were protected by pipe glass not so much for vandalism reasons but to keep the windows looking nice.

We will now have to go to great expense to put carbon fibre, which is like a sheet of clear perspex, on the outside of the new windows. We are talking several thousand pounds to repair them and make sure they are safe in the future.

"It's annoying because this money could be used for other things."

Anyone who may have seen the windows being smashed or saw anyone acting suspicious near the church, in Church Street, should contact Colne CID on 01282 472445.