A THIEF has wrecked displays at a church flower festival by stealing exhibits.

Several Dinky toys were stolen from one stand at St Andrew's Church, at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, and a miniature wheelbarrow, artificial grapes and five decorative apples disappeared from the second.

Flower arranger Rita Percival was left upset when she went to show her floral expertise to a friend, only to find the 14 inch-long, eight inch-high wheelbarrow missing.

Mrs Percival, a member of West Tanfield Flower Club, said: "I couldn't believe that someone would walk into a church and steal part of the displays. It was a despicable thing to do, particularly in a church."

She added: "Later, I felt sorry for the people who had done this because I wondered why they could not find something better to do."

The Dinky toys had enhanced a display created by Kirkby Motors, the local garage and filling station.

A church official said: "No one can remember seeing anything suspicious, but one theory is that the items could have been stolen during the comings and goings in church."

Canon Howard Garside, a retired clergyman who preaches at churches in the Fountains Group of parishes, has issued a plea for the return of the missing items.

"It is very sad and upsetting when something like this happens in a church," he said.