Yobs go on rampage at church hall

Hundreds of pounds of damage was caused when the hall at St Mary's Church in St Mary's Road.

A gang of teens broke into the building through a rear window and covered the walls with graffiti, before smashing through locked cupboards to destroy arts and craft materials, clothes and equipment used by the local Brownies group.

They also left candles and bottles of petrol behind, indicating they had tried to set fire to the building.

Father Peter Madden, priest at St Mary's said: "It is nothing more than wanton vandalism. "There is paint everywhere and they tried to set fire to the building. They smashed up the first aid box, forced all the locks off the cupboards and destroyed all the paints and craft equipment used by the brownies group."

The gang was spotted by someone attending a wedding rehearsal at the church. They had barricaded themselves in the church and escaped before they were identified.

Father Madden said: "We managed to chase them off, but by then the damage was done. Police have been to the scene and photographed the graffiti, and we have been speaking to our insurers."

Brownies leader Margaret Holden said: "We have lost 20 years of equipment and work. There were 24 waterproof jackets destroyed all the games and craft equipment we use. It is just devastating."

John Allen of community group Wednesbury 2000 said the group is hoping to help with the clean-up and wants to donate cash to replace the equipment.

He said: "I was contacted by the Brownies group and have been to see the hall. I have never seen a mess like it in all my life. We have been approached by the Brownies to help replace some of their equipment and are hoping to make a donation in the region of £200 to help."

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: "Unknown offenders smashed a window to get into the back of the hall and caused vandalism, grafitti and threw paint.

"Anyone with information is asked to call Wednesbury Police Station 0845113500."