'Heartbreak' as 15th Century silver chalice stolen

Silverware including a 15th Century chalice has been stolen from a church in North Somerset.

The burglary at St Paul's Church in Walton-in-Gordano is believed to have occurred some time between Sunday 10 May and Sunday 25 May.

Police said the offenders gained entry to the building before breaking into a safe and taking a number of valuable items stored inside.

The Reverend Michael Dyne said the chalice had been "part of a worshipping community" for more than 500 years and its loss was "heartbreaking".

Dyne, the assistant curate at the United Benefice of East Clevedon, described the stolen items as "irreplaceable to our community".

"What makes this burglary particularly distressing isn't the mess, the inconvenience or the inevitable cost, it's that the sacred items will almost certainly be sold for scrap," he said.

"Generations of our faithful have held it during communion, forming a living connection across the centuries.

"To lose something so full of history, so immersed in prayer and love, is heartbreaking."

Neighbourhood Policing Sgt Edward Harris said targeting a "place most people regard as sacred" in this way was "abhorrent".

"The distress this has caused is immeasurable," he added.

"We would appeal to anybody with information on the incident to contact us.

"We would also ask members of the public to remain vigilant and to contact us if any items of silverware, including those below and those similar, are offered to them for sale."

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