Thieves stripped Yorkshire stone paving slabs from a footpath at a historic church.

Church leaders say 19 paving stones – which could date back almost 200 years – have been stolen from outside Christ Church at Linthwaite.

And the church now faces a race against time to repair the damage before a funeral service on Thursday.

Priest-in-charge the Rev Paul Witts said repair work was likely to cost up to £2,000.

The church is insured but there will be an excess to pay.

Mr Witts said the theft happened sometime between the end of evensong at 8pm on Sunday and 7.30am the following morning when a church official went to read the meter.

“It’s just the bare-faced cheek of it,” said Mr Witts. “It’s not just the cost of repair, it’s the inconvenience of it all. We have funerals tomorrow (Thurs) and on Monday.”

Mr Witts said the thieves had taken 19 smaller slabs – 2ft x 3ft – and had left others stacked against a wall.

“They obviously took the lighter paving stones but we don’t know if they intended to come back for the rest. The thieves must have been very fit lads because the slabs are very hefty. I certainly couldn’t lift them.”

Kirklees Council was to make a temporary repair and Mr Witts added: “The church dates back to 1822 and the paving stones could go back that far.”

Mr Witts appealed for anyone who saw the thieves or anyone offered stones for sale to contact Huddersfield police on 101.

Police had promised extra patrols.