A church warden has urged parents to stop their children playing in a churchyard after two lead windows were smashed.

Three areas of glass at St Nicholas' Church on North Walsham Market Place were broken between 4.30pm on Friday August 22 and 7.30am the day after.

Church warden Nancy Heywood said it is believed the damage was caused by a football and could cost £1,000 to repair.

She said: 'It created an awful lot of broken glass across the church. We had to close the church to visitors on Saturday.

'We now have a gaping large window at the back of the church which needs boarding up . The whole window could crumble now.

'The windows need to be fixed before we get a wind up, which would cause damage in the church.'

Mrs Heywood said the incident was upsetting for parishioners and described it as 'mindless'.

'I would like to ask parents who have teenagers who play outside to advise them not to play in the churchyard because it is a costly place if something goes wrong,' Mrs Heywood added.

The clear thin glass was put in around 1900.

Witnesses or anyone with information should contact PC Tina Wright at North Walsham police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.