THE vicar of a church in Nelson which has suffered more than £25,000 worth of damage at the hands of young vandals has called on parents to take more responsibility.

St Bede's Church windows have been smashed during an eight-week campaign of damage.

Police are set to arrange a meeting with church leaders in Nelson and Colne to help combat the problem and increase security measures.

The church, in Railway Street, has been hit on six separate occasions over the past two months, with break-ins 10pm and 8am, resulting in five shattered stain glass windows.

Vandals struck for the first time eight weeks ago and forced one window to be boarded up.

They returned two weeks later, shattering a second window, which was made by an former vicar's son 35 years ago.

A vacuum cleaner was stolen on the third attempt.

They have also used a fire extinguisher to break a panel in a door before stealing a collection box, containing around £50, as well as a poppy collection box.

The Rev Garry Humphrys said the windows were irreplaceable and called on parents to take better control of their children.

He said: "It worries me what these children be like when they get older.

"It leaves me asking the question of what the future holds for Nelson and it's very worrying.

"When I was a child, if I had caught doing anything of this nature, I would be hauled down to the church, forced to apologise and my parents would have arranged to pay for the damage.

"The fact that this does not happen these days goes to show that these youngsters think they can get away with anything -- they simply do not have any respect."

The problem has spiralled out of control in the past couple of months with St John Southworth Church set alight by arsonists and Nelson's United Reformed Church broken into.

Mr Humphrys said there was also a problem with youths taking drugs in the church grounds.

A meeting with all church leaders in Nelson and Colne is to be set up with the police in a bid to improve security.