VANDALS who ransacked a church hut in Coalpit Heath left their "calling cards" behind by spraying graffiti tags across the walls and signing their names on a table.

It is suspected that the hut - used by Guides and a children's holiday club - was destroyed last Friday night by a crowd of youths.

Bottles of vodka littered the floor and paint was strewn across walls when churchwardens found the mess on Saturday morning.

Warden Mike Swain was dismayed when he discovered the break-in at St Saviour's Church.

He told the Gazette: "They had obviously been drinking and smoking and had a really good time.

"They left all the heaters on and all the stationery was ruined - not even stolen.

"It was just mindless vandalism. It is one thing to break-in but to do all that damage is quite unnecessary."

He said it would cost an estimated £1,000 to clean the hut but far more to replace the paints and stationery kept there.

"We cannot let young children lose with the equipment at the moment," he said. "It may have been contaminated and we cannot take risks. It is a health and safety thing."

A huge stock of equipment, used by the village-run holiday club and the Guides, had been built up by the church over almost a decade.

Added Mr Swain: "We will have to replace all that stationery but it will not be a priority.

"We are strapped for cash at the moment and have been trying to raise £30,000 for a new church roof. There is a limit to what people can give."

Volunteers at the church will now empty the hut and scrub the tables, walls and floors of graffiti and paint.

Sector police deputy Sgt Andy McIlrath said the break-in happened between 10.30pm on Friday, February 18 and 9.30am on Saturday, February 19. He said two tags had been repeatedly sprayed on the walls - KWBB and BZX205.

He added: "The concern was that the lighting and heating had been turned on and they were smoking in there, meaning there was the possibility of a fire.

"I would suggest it was youths, who were obviously very cold and wanted somewhere to go. Once inside, I expect the temptation to cause a bit of damage was too great."

Sgt McIlrath said links to a recent theft at a Scouts' hut in Frampton Cotterell were inconclusive.

District commissioner for the Guides Caroline Hanks said: "This will be a real blow for the unit - all the Guides and Brownies' equipment is stored there." She said a group of 20 Brownies now meet in the church hall but had moved out of the hut some time ago.

She said: "Part of the reason we moved out was because we were concerned for the children's safety because the hut is in quite an isolated spot."

Anyone with information on the break-in should contact Chipping Sodbury Police on 0117 9455926.