A DAUBHILL church is being plagued by vandals in what parishioners have condemned as a "systematic" wrecking spree.

A brick wall surrounding Melbourne Road Methodist Church has been demolished brick-by-brick and metal railings torn up. Windows have also been broken.

Parishioners say they are sickened by the vandalism but have vowed they will continue to worship at the Willows Lane church.

They say that the teenage vandals have been targeting the church over the last four weeks.

Church officials say the vandals are intimidating the elderly members of the church.

Church steward Herbert Flanagan, aged 83, has been a churchgoer since he and his wife moved to the area 43 years ago.

He said: "We've had a lot of trouble here in the past, but we managed to get over the problems and repair the damage. Then, just when we got it looking nice again they decided to come back and wreck it all."

He added: "We have a lot of older members and it is very frustrating and intimidating for everybody."

The vicar the Rev Fraser Smith described the vandalism as "systematic".

He said: "It is just mindless destruction and it is making people very sad. People work hard to look after this church and it is disheartening to discover even more damage every time parishioners arrive at the church."

Undaunted, he added: "We are determined that we will not let it get us down. We will carry on come what may."

Daubhill ward councillor Guy Harkin also criticised the vandalism.

He said: "We have had a real problem with vandalism across the whole ward. It is ongoing and the police are fully aware of it.

"If you ask 99 per cent of the people here, they will tell you they should be locked up and the key thrown away. The only way to stop the problem is by heavier sentencing when these young vandals are caught."

A police spokesman said the vandalism at Melbourne Road Methodist Church and in other areas of Daubhill are being investigated. He urged members of the public with any information to contact the police.