A STATUE of Christ outside a church in the region has been desecrated by vandals.

The fibreglass figure was torn from the cross and smashed on the ground.

Father Stephen Cooper, the priest in charge of St Columba's Church, in Middlesbrough, said the damage was discovered on Tuesday morning. The church is one of only a handfull of listed buildings in central Middlesbrough.

Father Cooper said: "The main part of the body was lying face down on the pavement.

"They have ripped it off. The arms and legs, what's left of them, are still on the cross.

"To us, it is a great act of desecration, representing our Christian faith as it does. It just appalls me that in this day and age symbols are not respected. What are treasures to us are not seen as such by other people. It is just pure vandalism."

Father Cooper, who has been at the parish for 12 years, said: "Four years ago, an arm was ripped off, but nothing as serious as this."

The woman who found the figure was said to be upset. The church is shared by the Greek Orthodox community.

It also operates a drop-in centre for prostitutes, drug addicts and the homeless.