Child arrested after church Christmas trees damaged

A child has been arrested after a church's Christmas trees, floral arrangements and memorial tree were destroyed.

The displays were torn down at the Church of St Andrew the Apostle in Holt, Norfolk, on Friday afternoon.

The Reverend Canon Howard Stoker, the Rector of Holt with High Kelling, had said it was "awful" to see and showed a "lack of respect".

Norfolk Police said the child had since been questioned and released on conditional bail.

Father Stoker previously told the BBC he would have to consider keeping the church shut apart from services if the anti-social behaviour did not stop.

"It's been there since the beginning of December, and there's been a steady stream of people coming to write the names of departed loved ones on gift tags and then hang them on the tree," he said.

"It's disrespectful to the memory of people who are no longer here."

A police spokeswoman confirmed: "A child has been arrested in connection with some criminal damage in High Kelling last week.

"It's after Christmas trees and other items in a church were damaged on Friday, 27 December.

"The child has been questioned and has since been released on conditional bail."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.