Historic church is targeted

Faye Parker, who owns the former United Reformed Church building in Lower Hopton, said lead and flagpoles had been stolen and that two weeks ago CCTV cameras had been damaged. She said since the start of December, she had started finding used needs in the grounds of the church in Calder Road.

“The little thefts that have happened, I have not wanted to make a big fuss about,” Miss Parker said, “but it has got to a stage where I am finding needles on the floor.”

Miss Parker, pictured right, said the disused church had been robbed repeatedly since she bought it in 2009 with a view to restoring it, so that it will no longer be on English Heritage’s ‘at risk’ register.

However, she has had to spend between £4,000 and £5,000 on security measures in an effort to keep thieves, and now drug users, far away.