'Minster man' at church was a would-be thief

The man turned up unannounced at 15th century Holy Trinity Church in Lowgate, Hull, and told a group of flower arrangers he was from York Minster.

As further proof he claimed a connection with a well-known local firm Quibell Group.

But when their backs were turned he climbed onto a low roof outside, and chipped out a piece of stonework in the middle of a window, which would have allowed him to get back in later on.

Church warden Tim Wilson said: "He told them he was going to be working for Quibells. He stood in the church quite a while, he was almost caressing the stonework in the church and people were beginning to think it was a bit strange."

The women later heard tapping and saw a gap between the leaded windows and the stonework.

Mr Wilson was alerted, but the man had disappeared.

Andrew Gomersall, stone masonry and restoration manager for Quibell Group, said: "This is a professional thief who has done his homework and is using us as a way into the church."

In another recent incident a man turned up at a church near Scarborough, in a high visibility jacket and hard hat, saying he was from an archeological firm and needed to go up scaffolding onto the roof. The men from Quibell, who were doing investigation work on the church, became suspicious and he left.

Mr Gomersall said: "Times are hard and people will try anything. It just disgusts me when they do this on this type of building."