REPAIRS to a Preston church, gutted by fire on Tuesday morning (August 29), will cost thousands of pounds, it has been revealed.

Fire investigators drafted in to probe the suspected arson attack on St Andrew's RC Church, in Hoyles Lane, Cottam, have put a £100,000 price tag on the cost of rebuilding the church to its former glory.

It took firefighters six hours to get the blaze under control after being alerted to the incident at around 1.20am.

The fire ripped through the building's roof and destroyed the sacristy where church vestments and other personal items are stored.

St Andrew's is the third Preston church to be torched in almost as many months.

In May, Our Lady and St Edward's, in Marlborough Drive, was set alight, followed by the English Martyr's Church, in Garstang Road, earlier this month. Father Peter Clarke, who moved to the parish from Lancaster Cathedral just one month ago, said parishioners have called the blaze a 'baptism of fire'.

But he praised firefighters for their tremendous efforts and vowed to maintain regular services in a section of the church undamaged by the fire.

He said: "They were so calm and collected. They were absolutely marvellous.

"They asked me if I wanted anything saving from inside and they went in with their breathing masks on and rescued the blessed sacrament. This was such a huge relief because it is the centre of our faith.

"It has come as a huge shock but it has been a very good way of getting to know lots of people in a very short space of time. It has brought us all a lot closer together."

Detective constable Eric Dean, of Fulwood CID, who is leading the investigation, has appealed for any information regarding the incident and urged people to contact him on (01772) 203203.