A CHURCH has had to pay out £12,000 for CCTV after being targeted by vandals twice in a matter of weeks.

St Thomas More Catholic Church in Lucks Hill, West Malling, had windows and roof tiles smashed and a lychgate damaged just two months ago.

And now vandals have struck again - before the church had even had time to repair the previous damage.

In the latest attack on Sunday an historic yellow stained-glass window was smashed.

The church has now been forced to install expensive security equipment in order to satisfy insurance requirements.

Elaine Hook, parish secretary and congregation member, said the expense of the damage was not as worrying as the mindless and repeated nature of the attacks.

She said: "This has upset people. They just can’t see the point in making anything good at the moment.

"We have a visiting priest here from The Gambia and he was shocked to find glass smashed all over the church.

"What’s the problem? Why do they have to keep coming back?

"There’s nothing we can do because we’re right out in the middle of nowhere - we’ve got all the bypass work behind us, which we thought would stop people walking through but it hasn’t.

"It’s making the priests who stay here concerned about safety."

Mrs Hook said she could not believe people would attack a place of worship.

The church now remains locked to the public as a result.

There is also concern for More Park RC Primary School, which is on the same site and has suffered repeated attacks.

"I think people are trying to wind us up, which they are definitely doing," she said. "The more it happens the more angry we get."

Maidstone and Malling Police has appealed for anyone with information about the attack to call them on 01622 608189, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.