Words, symbols and scrawlings appeared on the walls and doors of the church centre directly opposite Holy Cross Church, Uckfield over the Easter weekend.

Red paint was also squirted into the children's lavatories and minor damage done to the building itself.

Curate Stephen Date said: 'It's deplorable that this sort of thing can happen at all.

'What a pointless exercise and something that takes precious time and money to clear up.'

Angela Barlthrop whose husband Peter does a large amount of voluntary work at the church said: 'This is completely mindless damage and totally unintelligent.

'The problem is that it must now be cleared up.

'We have been told the council takes responsibility for clearing up damage to church property.

'Someone has been in touch with the council and we hope the matter will be dealt with.

'But of course the cost is a burden on people's council tax - the parents of these vandals should know some of their council tax contributions are now going towards making good damage their children have done.'

Another neighbour said the damage was done while ladies were doing Easter flowers inside the church.

He said: 'It's not as if this is an artistic exercise - it's not, just a load of pathetic scrawl.'