A Methodist church in a village near Bradford was badly damaged in an attack by vandals last week.

Police confirmed that the vandals had not stolen anything in the attack on Birkenshaw Methodist Church, which took place sometime between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon.

According to the Christian Institute, Bibles were burned, chairs and hymnbooks were slashed, a large crucifix had been torn from an inside wall, and keyboard and speaker cables had been cut.

The cost of repairing the damage has been estimated at £2,000.

The church, which has a congregation of around 60, has been left shaken by the attack.

The Rev Graham Edwards, the church’s minister, said: “Everyone is very upset and it is very sad to go to the effort of refurbishing the whole place to find somebody will break in and, for what seems like no reason at all, will destroy and ruin things.

“What is upsetting people is the pointlessness of it all.”

“You always wonder what things are about I suppose but I don’t think we are too concerned by that. It upsets you but we are not going to dwell on these things.”