VANDALISM, graffiti and theft are on the increase in the region's churches and cathedrals, according to a report.
The survey, To Be a Pilgrim, was carried out by the International Council on Monuments and Sites.
It is the first major report into the state of Britain's churches for more than 20 years.
The report, which looked at places of worship across the UK, including the North-East and North Yorkshire, found that 61 per cent of smaller cathedrals and churches, and 60 per cent of larger churches, have experienced theft, vandalism and unruly behaviour at some time.
The problem were so bad in some areas that security cameras have been installed to deter and catch thieves.
Thefts and vandalism have been reported in churches and churchyards around the North-East in the past 12 months.
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