A CHURCH in Weston which has been repeatedly targeted by vandals is planning to install CCTV. During the last two months, vandals have attacked St John the Baptist Church in Lower Church Road five times and painted a swastika on the wall, smashed roof til
A CHURCH in Weston which has been repeatedly targeted by vandals is planning to install CCTV.During the last two months, vandals have attacked St John the Baptist Church in Lower Church Road five times and painted a swastika on the wall, smashed roof tiles and security lights and ripped up a memorial bench and tree.A fortnight ago, the Weston & Somerset Mercury reported how a thief broke into the tower and stole the collection money, and just a week later the tower was broken into again.Reverend Richard Taylor said: "They got in through the window in the tower from the roof. "They demolished the window, but there was nothing in there so there was nothing taken."We are investigating the possibility of CCTV and we are also looking at fencing. It's fairly expensive but we will find a way of meeting those costs undoubtedly through people's generosity."The church has been raising money to restore its church bells and to build a £460,000 church centre for the community.Some of the money for the bell restoration fund was stolen during the first break-in and repairs for all the damage caused to the church will cost around £5,000.Rev Taylor said: "This has just been a rather unhappy chapter over the last few weeks but you just have to accept these sorts of things happen. "We are not the only building that's suffering but it just seems to be that a group of individuals has it in for us at the moment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here