YOBS have vandalised a church in the latest of a spate of attacks.

In recent months West End Methodist Church, in Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, has had to brick up a back door because it was kicked in so much and put railings over windows to prevent them being smashed.

Now churchgoers have been left angered by the latest incident in which a brick wall and railings outside the church were kicked down.

Church steward Anne Jones, said: "I can't see how they have done it because it is such a heavy thing. It was so bad I thought a lorry had run into it.

"The young people hang around the church because it is all grass round it. We don't mind them playing there, but they are so destructive.

"There are houses nearby, but no one has ever seen anything when its happening."

She said one of the main problems for the church was meeting the cost of the repairs.

"Windows were being broken constantly, so we have put guards on those now.

"We also had to brick up a door, which was at the back of the church out of the way, because it had been kicked in. We will have to decide what to do now, whether to rebuild the wall or not, but it is going to cost a bit. We have been saving up to put central heating in the church, but something like this always crops up.

"We just get back on top of things then something like this happens."

Sgt Allen Davies, from Accrington police said: "Offenders have been responsible for kicking the front wall of the church, knocking off cast iron railings and causing damage to the stone wall. The church has been experiencing considerable problems with local youths, although it is not clear whether they have caused the damage."

Sgt Davies appealed for witnesses to the incident and also urged people to contact them with the names of youths causing problems in the area around the church.

Call Accrington police on 08451 253545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 with information.