VANDALS were being hunted today after they caused £3,000 damage to a precious stained glass window – just weeks after it has been repaired.To add insult to injury, the window at St Mary's Church, Walton, Felixstowe, commemorated the bravery of local men who died fighting for their country in the second world war.

VANDALS were being hunted today after they caused £3,000 damage to a precious stained glass window – just weeks after it has been repaired.

To add insult to injury, the window at St Mary's Church, Walton, Felixstowe, commemorated the bravery of local men who died fighting for their country in the second world war.

Church officials and police today appealed for witnesses to come forward who may have heard the window being smashed or saw people hanging round the churchyard in Walton High Street.

Vicar of St Mary's, Rev Rod Corke said: "The vandals threw a flower pot with flowers in it from the church grounds through the window.

"It made a large hole and broke all the leading as well as the glass. They then climbed in through the hole and stole two green choir robes of all things.

"What on earth would they want with those? We are very disappointed and upset at this attack – we had only just had the window repaired at a cost of about £1,000 after someone put their fist through it about 18 months ago.

"This time the damage is much greater and it looks as if we will be faced with a bill for about £3,000.

"Stained glass is very expensive and it is a very specialist job"

The window into the choir vestry is on the front of the building and it is hoped someone may have heard the damage being caused on Friday night or in the early hours of Saturday.

The vestry was left strewn with soil and mess where the flower pot crashed through and the vandals climbed in.

Mr Corke said the window had originally been put in place after the 1945 war to commemorate the men who fought so courageously in the conflict.

"It is very hard to understand why people cause damage like this and is very upsetting for everyone. It looks as if it was basic vandalism and then when they saw how big the hole was in the glass, they decided to climb in and have a look round to see if there was anything worth taking," he said.

"The robes were a very strange thing to take indeed."

Anyone who saw the damage being caused to the window – which has now been boarded up – or anyone acting suspiciously in the churchyard is asked to contact Felixstowe police on 01473 613500.

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