CENTURIES-old saints have been given a modern-day shield to protect them from young vandals.

The Roman Catholic parish of St Joseph's, in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, County, Durham, has taken the drastic step of covering its 11 stained glass windows with bullet-proof glass after attacks from teenagers with catapults and air rifles.

Five of the windows, including those depicting Northern saints Patrick, Cuthbert and Joseph, needed repairs costing £2,400 earlier this year. Father Patrick McMahon said the £1,800 cost of protection would be met from parish funds.

"It is very sad. The people doing it are only youngsters of 13 or so.

"We found quite large pieces of stone in the church after it happened. Four were done from the road but they came into the grounds to do one at the other side - that was the frightening thing.

"It is a shame that we should have to take this action because it is only a minority of people doing this."

Coundon has a history of vandalism problems and its two schools have installed CCTV cameras. Staff at the village health centre work behind closed shutters and other churches and public buildings have been targeted.

New police figures, however, show that community initiatives, including a six-week school holiday sports project, have had a positive effect.

Beat officer PC Calvin Skinner said: "August had the lowest incidents of criminal damage this year.