A vicar described her shock at finding her church broken into and vandalised.

The Rev Bridget Banks, minister for Christ Church Pound Hill and Trinity Ifield, arrived at Christ Church in Worth Park Avenue, Crawley, at 9.20am, to prepare for the Sunday morning service.

She found the church had been broken into overnight and damage costing hundreds of pounds had been caused.

Three doors were kicked off their hinges, two windows were smashed and cupboards were broken into.

Ms Banks originally thought a silver chalice worth £500, which had been donated to the church, had been stolen but it was later found inside the building.

She said: "On Sunday we had a very full day planned with a morning service at 10am, followed by a wedding and then a concert.

"The rehearsals were straight after the wedding and we carried on regardless.

"The intruders had not touched the sanctuary so we were able to use that room but they had broken into cupboards elsewhere in the church belonging to different community groups."

Ms Banks said members of the church had helped board up windows and take doors off frames so they were not left hanging.

She became the minister of the church in July 2006 and said this was the second time it had been broken into.

She said: "It was a bit of a shock to see it like that but everyone rallied round.

"The congregation knew what had happened and we prayed for the people who had done the damage. It is a sacred place and it felt violated.

"I think people felt quite sad because it has happened before and they have gone through all the emotions.

"I just took it personally because they work so hard to make it nice.

"The church is used every day by a playgroup, Brownies, Guides and computer and singing groups."

Ms Banks said a neighbour thought they had heard people running around in the church at 2am on Sunday.

The intruders had used fire extinguishers to break the doors down.

PC Jo Hill, from Crawley police, said: "This is a despicable act towards a house of worship.

"The church is on a busy road with residential properties close by and we are appealing to anyone who heard or saw anything suspicious, to contact police.

"All information we receive will be handled sensitively."

Anyone with information should call PC Hill on 0845 6070999 or text her in confidence on 07788 917141, quoting serial 433 of 16/03/08.