A BREAK-IN at a closed West Cumbria church which saw thieves steal lead has been described as "heartbreaking" by its former vicar.

The Holy Trinity Church at Northside was broken into by thieves who removed sandstone blocks to allow them to open a door into the disused building.

Once inside the intruders made a mess of the interior before making their way to the roof where they stole lead.

The theft is believed to have taken place last Friday.

Police are investigating the incident, which Reverend Ian Grainger said was a "horrendous" act the church "could do without".

Rev Grainger added: "It looks like something that's been very well-planned.

"There's damage to the door and frame but the main damage was the amount of lead taken from the roof.

"Nothing was stolen from the inside the building, they just made a mess.

"I've been here 16 years and it's the first time anything's happened.

"The church has been closed for the best part of three and a half years but it's still a church.

"It's heartbreaking really but at the same time I feel quite angry that someone would go to that extent to do what they did.

"A lot of people have expressed sadness and anger that it's happened.

"The difficulty is that the responsibility for repairs now lies with the Diocese of Carlisle.

"Churches and the Diocese are struggling financially and it's an expense everybody could do without."

Regular service at the church ended in September 2016 and the building was put on the market the following year.

Plans were revealed earlier this year to turn the building into a cultural centre and wedding venue.

Police have advised people to protect their property against lead thieves by removing anything which may offer easy access to roofs, locking doors and windows, using SmartWater to forensically mark items, adding lighting or alarms and cutting back foliage.