RAIDERS caused thousands of pounds of damage after chiselling a church safe out of the vestry wall and forcing off the back in a search for collection money.

The crooks are believed to have spent several hours using a shovel and a scythe to break into the cast iron safe at St Michael and All Angels' Church, Foulridge.

They ignored silverware inside and left empty-handed, some time between Sunday afternoon and Tuesday morning, when they discovered that the money had already been taken out. Churchwarden Barbara Wilkinson, said: "I've never seen anything like it in my life. It was awful. They pulled the safe out of the wall and prised open its back.

"They've opened every drawer and cupboard in the place but, in the end, it was all for nothing."

DC Ian Gibb, of Colne CID, said: "They broke into the church through a window at the back and used a shovel and scythe in the building to chip away the stonework around the safe, which is about five foot high and four foot wide and was set about three feet into the wall.

"They've then forced the back off and got to the silverware but ignored that. We think they were after money, but that was taken out after the Sunday service. They were very determined and must have spent quite a considerable amount of time in the church."

Police believe they did not take the silverware because it is easily recognisable and hard to dispose of.

The vicar, the Rev Kath Allen, was out of the area.

The Vicar of Colne, the Rev Peter Mott, said: "They were obviously looking for large amounts of money that are simply not there."

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