LESS than two weeks after thieves stripped £10,000 worth of lead off the roof of Bosbury Church, night-time intruders have targeted St Bartholomew's Church in Much Marcle.

The lead thieves struck overnight between Monday April 24 and Tuesday April 25; but on this occasion they fled without completing their lead-stripping task, probably because they triggered a roof alarm.

The roof alarm was fitted to St Bartholomew's in 2008, after the south aisle was stripped of lead, during an earlier raid.

During this week's raid, thieves again targeted the south aisle roof but only managed to make off with two or three of the eight lead sheets they took up.

Church warden, Richard Brooks, pointing out that there has recently been a spate of lead thefts from churches in the Midlands said: "We are not alone in this, I am afraid. It was not quite so serious for us this time. It seems they were trying to strip the south aisle roof, and it looks very much as if they were disturbed."

But sheets of lead dropped into the graveyard from the roof have damaged two graves, which date back to the late Georgian period.

Mr Brooks said the full cost of the damaged caused was not yet known.

However, the church will now look at replacing the lead on its roof with coated stained steel, although this will require special permission from various bodies, including English Heritage.

Detective Constable Laurence James of Hereford CID said: "Ledbury police have been out to the location and I can confirm that a large quantity of lead has been stolen from the church roof and the thieves have damaged headstones in the graveyard during the offence.

"It is suspected the offenders may have travelled up a private road near to the church in some sort of vehicle, to place the lead into."

Judging by tracks, Mr Roberts believes the thieves approached the church in a vehicle by using a drive to the west of the medieval building.

Anyone with information should phone the police on 101 and quote the incident log reference 0086S 250417.