Church lead thefts leave £22k repair bill

1 day ago

Pamela BilalovaNorth East and Cumbria

Bill Smithson said repair costs affected the church's ability to help charitable causes

Diocese of Durham Parishioner Pat Baxter outside St Mary's with Churchwarden Christine Smithson and Bill Smithson. Pat Baxter has short white hair is wearing a green coat. Christine Smithson has short blonde hair, a light brown coat anf a white turtleneck. Bill Smithson is wearing a purple checkered shirt and a blue coat. He has short white hair and glasses. — Bill Smithson said repair costs affected the church's ability to help charitable causes

Metal thefts caused damage to a church which required repairs costing £22,000, a diocese has said.

Lead was stolen from the roof of St Mary's Church in Easington, County Durham, in three separate attacks in May 2023, January 2025 and February 2026.

The Diocese of Durham said it had been a "financial burden" for the church which had to pay a £500 excess on each insurance claim.

Bill Smithson, from the churchwarden team, said it had been "upsetting and frustrating" and the costs had "seriously reduced" what St Mary's had been able to contribute to charity.

"It's concerning that there are people who would target a building of such historical significance," he said.

"It is a cherished local landmark and has served the people of our parish for generations."

On each occasion, the lead stolen was worth between £100 and £200.

The lead removal resulted in water ingress, which caused damage inside the church

Diocese of Durham Crumbling paint surround the blue and red stained glass windows of the church . — The lead removal resulted in water ingress, which caused damage inside the church

Smithson said the lead had been coated with SmartWater which would make it identifiable at a scrapyard.

"Nevertheless, their actions caused significant damage to the lead guttering, which they were unable to dislodge, and also to the internal fabric of the building due to the subsequent water ingress," he added.

Repair and restoration work has now been carried out, with the lead being replaced with a substitute that has no weigh-in value at a scrapyard.

The diocese said the thefts had been reported to the police and no arrests had been made so far.

Durham Police has been contacted for a comment.

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.