Yob attack on Madeley church service

Yobs hurled a brick through a church window during a service, with shards of glass landing just feet from terrified parishioners.

Worshippers at Madeley Baptist Church in Telford were taking part in a Sunday afternoon service when the brick was thrown. Glass was sent flying all over the hall and three youths were seen running from the scene by a church member who dashed outside to see what was going on.

Church leader, Reverend Keith Osmund-Smith, said today he found it difficult to understand why anyone would take it upon themselves to do such a thing.

He said the service on January 23 had been taken by Peace Chapel International for Ghanaian Christians living in Telford.

"I hope this incident is down to three bored teenagers who thought it would be fun to lob a brick through a church window and that this incident is not race related," he added.

"Members of the congregation were rightly shocked by the incident.

"People who go to church still feel they can congregate safely to worship and not expect this kind of incident to occur.

"There were lots of children in the service and some glass landed feet away from them.

"Whoever did this is irresponsible in the extreme."

Mr Osmund-Smith said the police had been very helpful in the matter and security footage of the incident would be reviewed.

He added: "It's not so much the financial cost of the window or the act of vandalism itself.

"My issue is with why someone would do this with dozens of people inside."

Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

Telford police spokeswoman Denise Wakefield said: "This act of vandalism has upset the congregation very much. Around £85 of damage was caused.

"We want to hear from anybody who knows who did this, or who saw the males in the High Street area."

Call on 0300 333 3000.

By Peter Finch