A BOX containing irreplaceable records were stolen during a theft at a village church.

Police said St Clydawg church in Clodock, in the southwest of the county, was entered by thieves between 2am and 9am on Saturday, May 27.

The glass in the locked doors to the vestry was smashed to gain entry to the kitchen and rear offices.

Police said that a large, heavy metal box was removed and taken away, using a wheelbarrow that had been stolen from a nearby residence.

Fiona Witcher, from the Golden Valley Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "The box contained the burial, birth and marriage records plus a map of the churchyard - items which although have little or no monetary value, are irreplaceable.

"We believe the thieves assumed the church silver was kept in the box, so they would have been very disappointed. So far, the box and its contents have not been found, please keep an eye out in case they have been dumped somewhere."

If you have information call police on 101 and quote incident reference 252-s-270517.