THIEVES stole £300 from a church collection while worshippers prayed in the next room.

They targeted the Church of St Mary Magdalene, in Belmont, Durham City, during Sunday’s morning service.

They entered the church through an open door, took a set of keys left on a table, opened the church’s safe and made off with the money.

Nothing else was taken and the church was otherwise undisturbed.

And all the while, unsuspecting churchgoers continued with their worship.

Police Inspector Paul Anderson said: “This was an audacious crime, while a church service was ongoing.

“It makes you wonder how low they will go. The audacity to do this while the service was going on – it makes you wonder if they have any conscience at all.

“We do not have any leads into the matter, so if anyone does know anything about this, saw anyone suspicious hanging around the church when people were entering or saw anything untoward, please get in touch.”

Reverend Judith Ashurst, curate at the church, who was leading the service, discovered the theft shortly afterwards.

She said: “It is very sad that something like this happened.

“You do not like to think that anybody would take this money. It is like taking from a charity.

“This is money that people have given generously, and the church does a lot of good works for the community.”

Churches have increasingly found themselves a target for thieves as the recession has hit.

In November last year.

money was taken from a collection destined for impoverished children in Africa from Bethel United Reformed Church, in Chester-le-Street, while lead has been stolen from the roofs of several churches in the area.

St Mary Magdalene Church occupies a prominent spot on the junction of Broomside Lane and Carrville High Street, and recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.

The theft is believed to have happened between 9.45am and 10am.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0345-60- 60-365 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.