Lead theft gang strikes again at Husband’s Bosworth church

This time they took lead worth £10,000 from the roof of the 700-year-old, grade II listed All Saints’ church in Husband’s Bosworth.

It’s just two-and-a-half miles from the last church roof theft at St Mary The Virgin in Welford.

The theft at Husbands Bosworth was in the early hours of Saturday, November 8. The lead was stripped from the church’s south aisle, which is hidden from the busy A4304.

“I didn’t realise what had happened until Saturday morning” said the Rev Liz Bickley. “I was preparing for the Remembrance Day service when it started raining. The rain just poured through the roof like a sieve.”

The roof is now temporarily covered, but the Rev Bickley is resigned to the insurance company not being able to pay the full cost of roof repairs.

“Insurance is capped at £5,000, so it looks as if we’ll have to start fundraising at some point” she said.

Lead worth at least £20,000 was stolen From St Mary The Virgin church in Welford, on October 30.

Liz Hudson, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Leicester said: “It does appear as if there’s a new spate of lead thefts by a gang operating in the area”

She said a third church - in Wigston - had also been hit.

“It’s such a shame. A whole community suffers when something like this happens” she said.

You can contribute to All Saints’ church funds in Husbands Bosworth by ringing treasurer Lorrie Forman on 01858 880281.