Mourners were forced to shelter from rain throughout a funeral service after another Norfolk church was targeted by roof raiders.

Up to six tons of lead is believed to have been stripped from Baconsthorpe Church near Holt.

The culprits, possibly driving large vans or lorries, struck in the early hours of the morning on March 3.

Lead was prized from the north aisle and a section of the south aisle of the medieval church.

The theft occurred just hours before a funeral service was due to take place, leaving no time for a temporary covering to be put in place.

Churchwarden Tessa McCosh said: 'I feel fury and anger that the theft made a difficult situation at the funeral far worse.

'Mourners were horrified to be attending the service while rain was pouring through the roof. You always think something like this is not going to happen here, but sadly these things do.'

She added: 'Someone heard a couple of lorries driving nearby at about 4.30am, but the church is in a isolated location so quite vulnerable.'

Roof raiders caused thousands of pounds of damage to Blickling Church in October and an attempt was made to steal lead from Scottow Church near North Walsham the following month.

Anyone with information about the theft should call the police on 101.

The EDP, together with sister publication the East Anglian Daily Times, have put up a £26,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for stripping our region's churches of lead.