Sickened parishioners who attend Holy Trinity Church, in North Road East, Wingate, fear a scrap metal merchant will be the next destination for thieves who made off with lead from the porch and vestry roof.

Doris Brownless, a church warden, said vandals had cost the church £11,000 after damaging the roof in August last year and then again in March.

Now the church roof has been left open to the elements for a third time after vandals tore off around 30 tiles to get to the lead.

The church had undergone a number of improvements after parishioners received a £38,000 English Heritage grant in 2006.

Mrs Brownless said: "From August to now we have had three lots of lead taken.

"This is the third time and we think the cost to replace will be in the thousands.

"I don't know what to think of the people responsible.

"It's just pure vandalism. If they are getting any money for it the people buying it are just as bad.

"It breaks your heart. We had done a lot of work on the church with the grant, and it was looking just smashing.

"A handful of parishioners have used their time and money to improve the church and then people go and do this."

PC Rob Mellenthin, of Peterlee Police, covers the Wingate area on his patrols.

He said: "There is a high value of lead at the moment, and the thefts are a recurring problem.

"We are taking steps to try to tackle it in relation to the places it may have been disposed of.

"We have got the assistance of the local scrap metal dealers."

Police are appealing for information about the lead theft, which is thought to have happened between Thursday last week and Tuesday this week.

Anyone with information should contact Peterlee Police on (0845) 6060365 or Crimestoppers anonymously on (0800) 555 111.