MINDLESS vandals who trashed a church and tried to burn it down using a Bible have been thwarted - by the goodwill of neighbouring parishioners.

Despite damage that would cost thousands to repair Trinity Methodist Church in Halton Village is back up and running after kind-hearted Methodists from across Runcorn mounted a clean-up operation.

"Everyone chipped in and did a grand job," said church steward ,William Ray Mullin. "It was soon back in a useable condition. Not a single service was cancelled.

"In fact, many people who came on Sunday didn't even realise there had been so much damage caused."

It was a different story on Thursday night when Mr Mullin, 56, and steward Jim Tomlinson, 60, inspected it .

"They'd climbed in through the sky-light having broken away the iron bars underneath and dropped down into the Sunday school room," he said.

"Then they've gone about trashing every room in the building, emptying cupboards, letting off fire extinguishers, smashing internal windows, destroying church candles - they even set fire to the carpet.

"Some people would call it desecration - if people had been confronted by the damage on Sunday they would have been shocked and appalled - but we've risen above it.

"The individuals who did this are mindless. It's impossible to understand why someone would want to destroy a building.

"Perhaps if they read this they'll realise it has come to nothing and is unlikely to do so again."

Mr Tomlinson, the church's property secretary added: "You couldn't print what I'd like to do to them.

"They even used a Bible to start the fire. Luckily it didn't fully take hold."

The incident happened last Thurs-

day between 4pm and 7.30pm.

Police and fire crews were alerted by customers at the nearby Royal British Legion social club who saw gangs congregating in the 100-year-old church grounds.

"We'd like to thank everyone who helped clean the church up and the social club for raising the alarm," Mr Mullin added.

Anyone with information should contact PC Ged Miley at Cheshire Police on 0845-458 0000.