The Waltham Abbey Guardian has launched an appeal following the attack on the town’s Abbey Church.

Damage estimated at £200,000 was caused when the historic building was vandalised on January 3.

Among the areas targeted were the organ, statues and a stained glass window.

A 62-year-old man from another part of the Guardian group’s patch suffered serious head and back injuries in an earlier related incident.

Another man suffered a minor head injury and a woman was taken to hospital suffering from shock.

The Abbey Church Appeal Fund was launched the day after the attack with a £5 donation from a girl who wrote to the church’s rector, Canon Rev Martin Webster, expressing her sorrow at what had happened.

Contributions, all of which will be given to the church to help meet the cost of repair work, can be paid into any Nationwide branch quoting account ‘Abbey Church Appeal Fund’ and account number 1567/703 647 987.

Guardian Editor David Jackman said: “Both the church and the local newspaper have key roles to play in the local community and we hope that the fund will go some way to ensuring that the historic building can be returned to its former glory.”

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