Relic of Jerzy Popieluszko stolen from Boston church

The reliquary, the twin of which is pictured, was one of a number of items stolen from the church, police said

A reliquary containing the blood relic of a Polish priest murdered in the 1980s has been stolen from a church.

The burglary at St Nicholas Church, in Boston, Lincolnshire, took place between 16:00 BST on 9 May and 08:55 BST on 10 May.

Police said among the items taken from the building on Fishtoft Road, Skirbeck, was the reliquary containing the blood of Jerzy Popieluszko.

The priest was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church in December 2009.

Lincolnshire Police said officers have appealed to anyone who may have any information about the theft to contact them.

Priest Father John Underhill said the item, set in a gold-coloured reliquary, was "gifted to St Nicholas church by a member of the faithful for public devotion.

"It sat on the high altar of St Nicholas church for the Parish Mass on Sundays, where it was incorporated into the liturgy."

Father Jerzy Popieluszko was closely associated with Poland's Solidarity movement in the early 1980s

Father Jerzy Popieluszko had become associated with the banned trade union Solidarity, which opposed Poland's communist government.

He was kidnapped in October 1984 by three state security police officers. After being severely beaten he was then dumped, with a stone tied to his feet, into the Vistula Water Reservoir, west of Warsaw.

His body was later recovered and thousands including Solidarity leader Lech Walesa attended his funeral. His killers and their superior officer were later jailed for his death.