A religious shrine in North Yorkshire - part of a town's traditional tourist trail - has been attacked by vandals who tried to start a fire.

The Grade I listed building, known as the Shrine of Our Lady of the Crag, is one of Knaresborough's best-known sites, visited by thousands.

A lock on the door to the tiny chapel - which holds only eight people - was forced, and the intruders tried to burn the visitors' book, causing smoke damage.

Broken glass was also strewn around the shrine.

Although the shrine is owned by Ampleforth Abbey, in North Yorkshire, it is cared for by local volunteers and is one of only a few of its kind in the country.

The attack was discovered by people preparing the building for Mass. Attempts had also been made to set alight to a wooden statue of the Virgin and Child, which had been commissioned to mark the Millennium.

North Yorkshire Police are investigating the incident.

Knaresborough Town Crier Nancy Buckle, whose family once lived in the nearby House in the Rock and had previously cared for the chapel, said she burst into tears when hearing about the attack.

"It is sacrilege. I don't shed tears easily, but this is just dreadful," said Miss Buckle, who left the House in the Rock six years ago when Ampleforth Abbey put it on the market. It is now a private residence.

For years, Miss Buckle had carried on a family tradition of showing people inside the tiny chapel, which until 1916 was called St Robert's Chapel.

Generations of her family had been entrusted with the key to the building, which was hollowed out of solid rock 600 years ago..

"The shrine dates back to 1408 and was created by a man known as John the Mason," said Miss Buckle, who now conducts guided tours of Knaresborough and makes a special call at the little shrine