Theft hit church will cost £750,000 to repair

Dec 23 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Repairs to church will cost £750,000

THE repair bill for a church damaged by thieves is set to top £750,000.

Members of St John’s Church at Birkby will also have to find more than £100,000 to meet the added VAT costs, although most will be covered by insurance.

But there was some good news for the parishioners, left reeling this year when thieves trying to rip the lightning conductor from the spire ended up bringing it crashing down through the roof.

A Christmas tree given by Kirklees Council’s area committee, has pride of place in the church grounds.

And the congregation has been told the 155-year-old church could be open again before Easter.

It has been closed because of the scale of the damage but the minister, the Rev Sue Clarke, said it was hoped services could start again before the end of March.