Funeral delayed after church vandalised

A funeral was delayed today after vandals broke into a west Belfast church and smeared excrement over the altar.

Religious statues, pews and other items were smashed at St Agnes Church on the Anderstown Road during last night’s break-in.

The funeral, which was due to be held at 10am, had to be moved to St Michael’s Church a few miles away in Finaghy Road North.

Shocked clergy belonging to St Agnes had been busy all morning desperately trying to arrange an alternative venue for the funeral.

Police officers have spent the morning examining the scene and detectives at Grosvenor Road station have appealed to anyone with information to contact them.