A PARISH church was found to have been burgled on the very day it was due to host heritage lottery delegates.

Parish fundraisers turned up to St Mary’s, Pembridge, yesterday (Mon) afternoon to find the vestry door broken open and two candlesticks gone.

Also opened was the vestry safe – with nothing noticed as taken.

St Mary’s is fundraising for repair work and has hopes of attracting heritage lottery funding.

Heritage lottery delegates were due to meet with parish fundraisers yesterday.

With the church open all day, the vestry burglars are thought to have struck  sometime Sunday night or over Monday morning.

A crime scene team is working at the church today.

Both missing candlesticks are thought to be marked with Smartwater.

The break-in at the church follows other burglaries in the parish over recent days.