A PRICELESS hand-drawn funeral cart, which was used to carry hundreds of coffins to church, has been stolen from a village in the region.

The cart, which is also known as a bier, was taken from a detached garage in Low Worsall, near Yarm, Stockton, between February 20 and 28.

The wooden structure, which records show was probably in use until about 1900, is a popular piece of the village’s history.

It has been exhibited in a number of Worsall village history exhibitions since the Fifties and features in the Worsall History Booklet published in 2000.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses following the cart’s disappearance.

The stolen cart is wooden, but has in the past been treated with black paint. It has traditional timber cartwheels with metal tyres and each axle is supported on two metal leaf sprigs.

The bier was used for centuries to transport coffins from homes to St John’s Church, in Low Worsall, for funerals.

A cloth was often draped over the top to add dignity to the ceremony.

The modern funeral industry uses a collapsible aluminum version.