A CHURCH treasurer stole nearly £12,000 from church funds to try to buy the love of her straying husband, a court heard.

Debra Stanger, a treasurer at Christ Church in Felling, Gateshead, admitted to one count of fraud by abuse of position at Gateshead Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The 44-year-old, of Glynfellis, in Felling, Gateshead, had worked for the church for two years when she started using money earmarked to pay church bills to buy expensive presents for her husband.

The court heard the couple's marriage had been shaken by her husband's affair, and she hoped she would be able to save their relationship with money.

She also used the funds to try to meet the mortgage payments on their house after the couple ran into financial difficulties.

Stanger, who inherited the treasurer's role from her father, used blank cheques given to her by the vicar to steal £11,845 in 15 months.

She will be sentenced at the same court on May 12.

The Bishop of Durham said in a statement today he was ''saddened'' by Stanger's deception.

''The Bishop of Durham is aware of the situation. He is saddened by the circumstances and the breach of trust involved. The Parish ministers and people are in his prayers at this time,'' the statement said.

''The church expects the highest standards of honesty and will be examining the way safeguards can be reviewed.''