A vandalised kitchen hatch means passersby to St Cyr Church in Stonehouse won’t be able to pop in for a quiet moment unless an attendant is nearby.

The church has had things pilfered in the past, from coffee to, most recently, a fire extinguisher.

But now someone has broken a hatch to the kitchen, and the church will be closed when unattended to avoid any visitors getting hurt during repairs.

However, churchwarden Richard Hensley underlined that the church is, for all intents and purposes, still open. Services are still on - “We had the bell ringers down this morning,” he said.

"We try to keep it open as often we can - that’s what the church is for, for people to be able to come in for quiet time.”

Richard says the church will now “up its game” against would-be thieves, and hopes repairs will be finished by next week so visitors can easily drop by once again.