Rocks thrown into church during service

Bridgwater Baptist Church suffered criminal damage

A Portuguese-speaking congregation leader said the group has been left feeling "unsafe" after rocks were thrown through windows of the church they were worshipping in.

On Sunday 31 August, around 120 members of MSBN Bridgwater were inside Bridgwater Baptist Church when the incident took place.

The people responsible are also believed to have broken into an abandoned pub next to the church.

Police have urged anyone with dashcam or doorbell footage from around the time of the incident to get in touch.

Manolo Lubiana, a youth pastor for the group using the church at the time, said the congregation were listening to a preacher when someone said glass had fallen on their head.

Mr Lubiana explained the group took shelter, adding: "It could have been anything, it could have been someone attacking the church."

He explained some members of the congregation went outside to see what was happening, and spotted people running around the abandoned pub next door.

The police were later called.

Manolo Lubiana said the group was concerned it was being attacked

The pastor said though he does not believe the group was actively targeted, he said: "We may be foreigners, we might be the church of migrants - we want to be a part of the culture, we're not here to make enemies or anything like that."

Acting police sergeant Joshua Maguire said: "Identifying those responsible remains a matter of utmost importance.

"This is a place of worship that welcomes vulnerable members of our community.

"Police will continue to show presence within the local area and engage with local communities and partnerships teams"