Church puts in burglar alarm after thefts

The pastor s study had been broken into and drawers in the desk and filing cabinets had been searched during the break-in on Sunday night, after the evening service.

Other parts of the facilities had also been searched by the intruders who barged open locked doors and left through a fire exit.

Caretaker Brian Collier discovered the break-in at 6am on Monday. The police were called.

The Rev Dave Bishop, minister of Sidley Baptist Church, in Claremont Road, said: "So far we believe we have only lost the contents of a money box placed by a phone that contained a few pounds.

The church community is now focusing on prayer as an answer to the problems around it.