LEAD thieves have struck at a church for the third time in a week, stripping it of all its precious metal.

They raided St Mary’s in Warkworth, near Banbury, late on Tuesday or in the early hours of Wednesday.

But unlike thefts on Friday and Saturday night, most of the snatched lead was left on the grass.

Church warden Bob Langton said: “They finished the job. I just find it totally unbelievable. I would have thought after that they would have stayed away. I find it incomprehensible. It is a place of worship.

“These guys have no regard for others, they are only interested in lining their own pockets.”

He said he walked around the church at midnight, and speculated this had disturbed the thieves, causing them to flee.

The lead left would be sold for scrap, he said.

And he said to add insult to injury the church discovered on Wednesday it was only covered for £5,000 insurance and not the £15,000 hoped for.

Ecclesiastical Insurance, which covers the property, caps theft and damage payouts to £5,000 each because of the rising number of UK church lead thefts.

We reported yesterday how the church was facing a bill of more than £100,000.

Anyone with information should call 03000 111222 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.