THE vehicles belonging to Life Church in Wapping Road, Bradford, have been damaged by vandals in a weekend attack.

A van was burned out and two minibuses had windows broken in the attack early on Sunday.

The church heard that the individuals who targeted them also visited one of the neighbouring businesses causing damage to their vehicles and building also.

The damage has meant that the church has not been able to ferry churchgoers around or make much-needed deliveries.

Rob Hutcheson, operations manage at the church, said: “That is the frustrating part. The minibuses are used pretty much every day to transport individuals.

“They are not just used solely to assist people with getting to church, they are also used mid-week getting volunteers out to serve at the various community initiatives that we run as a church.

“The van is also in very high demand. In particular with this vehicle, it now renders community projects unable to operate until we are able to replace it.

“One project, in particular, relies weekly on the van to deliver furniture and goods to families in need.”

He said the church is talking to its insurance company to ascertain what the options are.

He added: “What is certain is that both minibuses will need repairing and the van replaced as soon as possible.”

Mr Hutcheson said: “As far as we know, two male individuals broke into the church grounds during the early hours of Sunday morning.

“They didn’t manage to gain access to the buildings themselves but did cause considerable damage to the church vehicles.

“The church has two minibuses and a van, all of which were parked at the rear of the church building.

“The individuals smashed the rear windows of both minibuses, the passenger window of one of the minibuses and have caused a lot of internal damage. The van however they set light to.

“From what we understand, the fire was discovered by our evening security patrol, so the fire brigade were quick to respond and to extinguish the blaze.

“Unfortunately, in the time it did burn, it was sufficient to completely destroy the frontage of the van. The heat from the fire was sufficient to also melt part of the bodywork of the minibus immediate to it.”

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 13190060829.