A PAIR of elderly churchgoers went to attend afternoon mass - but were instead confronted by a sex scene.

They first walked past a group of up to 30 young adults hanging around outside St Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Church, in York.

Then they saw a couple having intercourse - who continued despite the interruption.

The pensioners, who have declined to be named, were so shocked that they contacted the Bishop of Middlesbrough, the Right Reverend John Crowley, who has arranged for the local parish priest to comfort the couple at home.

The church, in the shadow of York Minster, is closed to the public while work is under way but the couple, aged 80 and 74, were unaware of that when they visited.

"We saw 20 or 30 young adults hanging around outside and thought it must be some sort of youth convention," said the woman.

"It turned out they were loud and abusive and seemed as high as kites on drugs.

"We walked past them but, to our horror, we then walked in on a couple having sex in the church porch.

"I couldn't believe it when they carried on as if nothing was wrong."

A spokesman for the bishop said security was usually very good, but paying for staff to keep an eye on things permanently was too expensive.

"Unfortunately, this incident is part of the age we live in," he said.