'Heartless' break-in at church condemned

The Clogher Valley Free Presbyterian Church in Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone, was targeted on Tuesday night with cash from the Sunday school for missionary work also stolen, the Democrat Unionist Party said.

DUP leader Arlene Foster condemned those responsible.

"It is disgraceful that anyone would target a church building and it is vital that those responsible are brought to justice," she said.

"This is a church with a very active outreach into the local community and I know that everyone in the local area will be appalled at what has occurred. Efforts are already ongoing to ensure the church's activities are not disrupted and the two services due to take place on Christmas Eve can continue as planned."

Mrs Foster said the break-in was not an isolated incident.

Wills Robinson, a councillor in the Clogher Valley area, visited the church where people had gathered in the hours before the break-in.

"To break into any building at Christmas time is disgraceful but to break into a church is to be condemned in the strongest terms. This is a heartless and pathetic act," he said.