ARSONISTS have caused damage worth more than £1,000 to a city church.

The fire in the Lady Chapel at St Martin's Church, Ross Road, destroyed a carpet and left the chapel with smoke damage. It comes six months after an arson attack in the same room - from which the church has just recovered.

"It is extremely saddening," said South Wye community liaison officer Clive Evans, who is based at the church. "I'm not sure what motivates people to do this. It is not just an attack on the church but an attack on the community because the people of South Wye will suffer if we have to shut."

A decision about whether to close the church to visitors during daytime has yet to be taken, but is sure to be high on the agenda when the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meet tomorrow night.

"The room is used for daily prayer and is left open for anyone who wants to visit the church," Mr Evans added.

"We want to keep it open for the community to use and do not want to make it a Sunday-only place."

The church has been locked in the aftermath of the blaze because of safety reasons. It is thought to have begun when intruders set light to a set of newspapers before fleeing the building.

An investigation is underway into the incident, which took place on Tuesday between 2pm and 4pm. Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries.

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in or around the church on Tuesday afternoon can call PC Alan Tobey on 08457 444888.