AN historic church has been forced to install metal grilles after determined vandals smashed through safety glass and damaged a stained glass window.

The Rev Jeffrey Arcus, vicar of St Paul's, Ramsbottom, said the thugs had smashed a 4ft by 2ft window, depicting a Biblical scene, near the tower end of the building.

He said a cobble had been used to break the toughened glass installed over all the windows and then the stained glass had been smashed.

Mr Arcus, vicar at the town centre church for seven years, said: "It is sad to take this step because I thought we had done enough having the protective glass.

"But if these people have managed to break one window, then they will just continue.

"We are in the process of putting wire mesh on all the windows, in addition to the toughened glass.

"We have chosen a mesh which is more or less in keeping with the area. It is oblong in shape rather than square and looks more presentable."

He said the safety glass had been installed on the church windows 15 years ago and until recently had deterred vandals.

Now the church has spent several hundred pounds to replace the broken safety glass and install the mesh grilles.

Mr Arcus said local people had seen youths damaging the window and neighbours had reported the incident, which happened on Friday, August 24.

He does not know when the broken stained glass window will be repaired. It has been in the church since it was built, 150 years ago.

"We will have to effect as good a repair as we possibly can," he added.

Police are investigating the incident.