The church hall of the Church of the Nazarene on Westover Road was broken into at the start of February, jeopardising a special meal being planned by youngsters after thieves took their pots and pans.

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Also stolen were a computer, overhead projector, karaoke machine, two bikes and even the children's sweets.

Now the hall has been hit again and the church needs thousands of pounds to install an alarm, fit bars on the windows and erect a higher fence around the building to deter thieves.

The church now needs to raise around £960 for window bars, £940 to fund the alarm system and approximately £15,000 for the fence so that the hall will continue to be insured.

"No-one wants to make a community building a fortress and finding the money is going to be difficult, but we must do it and do it now," said the Rev Ian Newton.

Mr Newton said he also feared for the church itself. "I can only think that the church building will be next. Even if nothing is stolen from it, then the windows will be put through and the walls sprayed with graffiti because the hall is made more secure."

But he said the burglaries would not deter the church, which is holding a children's fun week this week, from continuing to support the local community.

"The thieves will not stop us carrying on the good community ventures. Over the past year we have done such things as hold free card craft and free computer courses, given away new and used clothes and toys around Christmas, offered professional employment advice on Saturdays, held three children's fun weeks and had summer baseball in the park with a team of 15 Americans - not forgetting the weekly children and parent and toddler meetings.

"We need to find funding quickly if we are to keep on encouraging families in the community."

* Anyone who can help can contact Mr Newton on (0113) 252 5620.