MORE than 50 parishioners will be forced to hold their Sunday service at an old people's home tomorrow after vandals wrecked their church.

Locals at Lordshill in Southampton have been told they cannot use their usual venue because yobs caused such major damage to the doors that Lordshill Church has become a health and safety concern.

The Rev Ray Coates had initially planned to hold tomorrow's service in a nearby pub, but had to change the venue when he discovered there was no wheelchair access.

The 10.30am service will now be held at Manston Court home for the elderly, which is situated in the same Lordshill District Centre as the church.

Mr Coates said: "We are not the only ones suffering. There is regular vandalism at the supermarket and even the doctors' surgery has had the windows smashed in.

"We've had trouble with vandals before - last time they damaged the side doors and now the damage to the front is so bad we can't use them and have boarded them up.

"We have held services at Manston Court before, so it shouldn't be a problem. But the parishioners are very sad they can't use the church.

"All we can do is fit even heavier doors in the hope that they can take the damage without breaking."

The church may not be fixed for several weeks, and he added that future services would remain in doubt until the new doors had been fitted.

As well as the nearby Mountbatten pub, the church also had offers to host the service from the local library among others.

"They're all very kind offers," said Mr Coates, "but you can't blame parishioners for wanting to worship in their own church."