Thieves steal two-century old church

Thieves who allegedly stole a 199-year-old church from a Russian village are being hunted by police.

Built in 1809, The Church Of Christ's Resurrection has stood near to Komarovo for nearly 200 years.

Father Vitaly, a church spokesman, told The Telegraph: "We have sent a letter to local prosecutors. Who exactly did this, the investigation will show."

He added that the theft does not seem to be an isolated incident, saying: "In many villages in central Russia sites of historical interest are being dismantled and people suffer by being deprived of their cultural heritage."

It is thought that someone took the church down brick by brick in October, but the theft was not noticed until recently due to its isolated location.