A THIEF smashed his way into a Burnley church and ransacked it just hours after the funeral of a popular parish priest.

Police are hunting the man who broke a window and forced open locked doors at St Stephen’s CE Church in Oxford Road.

Earlier that day the funeral of Rev Lawrence Laycock, attended by the Bishops of Burnley, Blackburn and Lancaster, was held at the church.

Among the items stolen was a 32-inch TV, which had recently been donated, as well as around £50 collection money, four bottles of communion wine and a Children’s Society charity box.

It is thought that the offender targeted the church to try and steal money collected at the funeral.

A spokesman for the police said a ‘thorough search’ of the church had been made which left a trail of destruction.

Rev Patrick Senior said: “I was surprised at the scale of the search that had been undertaken when I entered the church and saw what had happened.

“It was very distressing and I was already sad because of the funeral the day before.

“None of the church’s brass was touched but all of the locked doors were forced open as well as the vestry window.

“Our CCTV shows a person entering the church but not leaving because they had turned it off.

“It clearly had been a very thorough search to try and find as much money as possible.

“We do suspect that we were targeted because of the funeral earlier in the day but the collection money was off the premises anyway.

“We have a wedding today (SAT) so we spent some time on Friday clearing up the church and restoring it.”

Archdeacon of Blackburn, The Venerable John Hawley, said: “I am very sorry to hear St Stephen’s has been attacked in this way, especially as it was the day after the funeral of Rev Lawrence Laycock, where a packed church remembered a wonderful priest.

“I understand the church has been in touch with insurers and the police and the diocese will also support them in whatever way they need in the aftermath of the incident.”

Rev Laycock’s brother, Stuart, said: “It is a sad day when this kind of thing happens.

“But on the grand scale of things it was an irritation in a week when I had buried my brother.

“We are sure the thief broke into the church hoping to find the collection from Lawrence’s funeral at which more than 500 people attended.

“But the money was taken to the bank immediately after the funeral.

“Sadly, the money that was raised may now have to be spent on the repairs instead of other much needed expenses the church incurs.

“Lawrence’s message would have been that a Christian church building should be full of love and faith and while it shouldn’t be seen as a pushover it has the strength of love to forgive.”

Cllr Mark Townsend, the leader of Burnley Council, said: “Some people do not even think that a church is sacred anymore and have a very disappointing outlook on life.

“I hope that they throw the book at them when they are caught.”

A police spokesman said: “The incident happened at sometime between 9pm on Wednesday, June 24, and 9am on Thursday, June 25.

“We currently analysing CCTV images as part of our on-going investigation.

“It does appear that quite a lot of damage was done to the interior of the church during the incident.”