A 75-years old priest has told of the night he came face to face with a burglar brandishing a wrought iron charity box in his church.

Canon Patrick Delaney, of St Anne's Roman Catholic church, North Street, Keighley, bravely stood up to the intruder who broke in late on Sunday night.

Canon Delaney recalls: "He said if I came anywhere near him he would bash me. He had the metal charity box in his hand.

He adds: "At the time I was frightened but I was furious too."

Canon Delaney, who has been at St Anne's since 1976, heard noises at around 11pm on Sunday and went to investigate.

He says: "He was a tough looking customer and he wore a black beret thing. He was a fairly stocky build and he must've been strong with the way he pulled that box out."

The thief ran out with the charity box - but came back later on that night to look for more money.

Canon Delaney says: "He got through the vestry and into the sacristy and went through all the drawers. He left everything turned out but got very little."

One charity box, made from an ornate candlestick, was ripped out and stolen and another was badly bent as the thief tried to remove it.

It was the second time St Anne's has been burgled this year. On New Year's Day it was one of six churches to be hit in a spate of Keighley church burglaries.

St Anne's RC primary school head teacher, Catherine Good-ridge, says that everyone is very upset by the incident. She adds: "I'm appalled. I'm absolutely appalled."

Conor Davis, head teacher of Holy Family RC School, says: "I condemn behaviour like that. It's despicable."

John Grady, spokesman for the Diocese of Leeds, says: "It's sad that places like churches are no longer regarded as sacrosanct but it's not new. It's becoming a phenomenon that churches, priests and ministers are coming under threat."

Sgtt Bob Marshall, of Keighley police, described the intruder as a white male, in his early twenties, around 5' 7" to 5'8" tall. He was wearing a grey jacket and a dark pullover and described as having a pasty face and wearing a black, beret type hat.

Canon Delaney, clearly distressed his church had been attacked again, says: "It just sort of shows the society we live in. It's all due to the breakdown in morals."

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