THIEVES risked their lives by scaling scaffolding, climbing 100ft and smashing their way through a clockface in a daring raid on a Radcliffe church.

They then ripped the safe from the vestry wall of St Thomas and St John's Church and took around 20 pieces of irreplaceable church silver, worth thousands of pounds.

"Everyone is angry and upset," said the Rev Chich Hewitt, team rector of the Blackburn Street church.

"It's our fourth burglary in five months. We think that on the other occasions it was the work of drug addicts, but this time those responsible have been very professional and determined."

Among their haul were silver patens (plates used for bread in the Eucharist), flagons and chalices, some of which were presented to the church in the 19th century by the Countess of Grosvenor.

They also stole £400 in cash from two Sunday collections and ransacked drawers.

The thieves gained access to the roof via scaffolding erected for a £638,000 renovation of the church.

Mr Hewitt said that as a result of the latest break-in church security would be reviewed and upgraded and money would no longer be left in the church overnight.

He added: "It is very sad that there is an element in our community capable of doing such a thing."

It is not the first time the clockface of St Thomas' has hit the headlines. In 1993 the clock was damaged by children taking part in a craze for swinging on the clock hands.