Hooligans ran rampage through St Peter's Church in Conisbrough on Monday, smashing irreplaceable stained glass windows and damaging a cross from the altar.

Church warden Rita Dudhill said she was devastated after discovering the destruction at the 1,250-year-old building. She said: "When the vicar told me the church had been vandalised I couldn't bear to look, I was in tears. It is a terrible shame to see all this damage - who could do such a thing?

"The worst damage was caused to the windows, some of which are irreplaceable and will cost thousands to put right. We had left the church open following a meeting of the Parochial Church Council."

The raiders threw plant pots around, ripped adornments off the walls and set fire to books and paper outside the church at around 5pm.

Church council member Robert Heath said: "This is very bad news for the church. We are already facing a bill for about £30,000 after all the damage caused by the stolen lead from the roof. We have also discovered we face another bill for renovation work that needs to be done on our Alpha Rooms. The church needs a lot of support from the community now."