A Durham church is counting the cost after ruthless thieves stole lead from the roof in three separate incidents.
They made off with a quantity of lead from the roof of St Mary’s Church in Easington Village in the attacks, which took place in May 2023, January 2025, and February 2026.
Repair and restoration work has now been carried out, with the lead being replaced with Masterform, a lead substitute that has no weigh-in value at a scrapyard.
But the saga has been a financial burden for the church, as well as a time-consuming process for church officials due to vital communication with the police, insurance and specialist repair professionals.
The lead stolen was only worth between £100 and £200 in each incident, with the design and structure of the building restricting what they could take. But the damage caused to the Grade I listed building was much more significant. Repair costs for the three incidents totalled £22,000, with the church having to pay a £500 excess on each insurance claim.
“It’s both upsetting and frustrating,” said Bill Smithson, a member of the churchwarden team. “It’s concerning that there are people who would target a building of such historical significance. It is a cherished local landmark and has served the people of our parish for generations.”
“On each occasion, the thieves only managed to steal lead that would be worth under £200. In addition, the lead is also coated with SmartWater which makes it identifiable when checked 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.”
Bill said the church has always been proud of its commitment to supporting charitable causes each year, but the cost of the incidents have seriously reduced what St Mary’s has been able to contribute.
He added: “It will take time but we will recover from this. Not only did the thieves cause substantial damage to our historic building, they have cost us about £1,500 in insurance excess which would have supported our mission as a church, as well as worthy causes in our community and beyond.”
Photos:
Main image: Parishioner Pat Baxter (left) is pictured outside St Mary's with Churchwarden Christine Smithson and PCC member Bill Smithson.
Other images show damage to the lead guttering (right) - and inside the church due to water ingress caused by the lead removal (above left).