Conisbrough folk have responded "magnificently" after the South Yorkshire Times reported a sickening trail of vandalism and theft at the 1,250 year old St Peter's Church last week.

Church warden Rita Dudhill said she was overcome with emotion after hundreds of pounds were pledged to help repair the damage - just hours after we told how thugs had smashed irreplaceable windows and wrecked a cross from the altar.

"It was wonderful," said Rita. "I want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart."

"Lots of people came to the church to ask if they could help us to clear up and how they could raise money to fix the damage.

"Maureen's Florists and Buttercups from Conisbrough both donated lovely floral displays to help brighten the place up.

"People have started raffles in shops and there are numerous fundraising activities planned. I think people were genuinely appalled and upset by first the lead being stolen from the roof, but moreso by the vandalism last week."

The church has set up an appeal fund and anyone wishing to help can bring donations to services held on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Rita added: "There has been a lovely atmosphere in the village after this happened. The church belongs to everybody - not just regular churchgoers and the response has reflected this."

She said one of the problems now faced by the church was that it could no longer be left open and unmanned, due to conditions now laid down by the building's insurers.

"We want to open the church as much as possible - previously people could come in at any time, even if they just wanted to spend a little time there to reflect.

" If anyone could come and help we would like to set up a rota so we could keep it open at least a few hours a day. It is a great shame that we will have to keep it closed at all because people come from all over the world to visit us as well as the castle".