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| Vandals 'destroy' historic chapel | Vandals 'destroy' historic chapel |
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| Vandals left worshippers in tears after wrecking an historic chapel on a Swansea Valley mountainside. | Vandals left worshippers in tears after wrecking an historic chapel on a Swansea Valley mountainside. |
| Lewis Rees, the pastor at Gellionnen Chapel, near Pontardawe, had to turn his congregation away when they arrived for the morning service on Sunday. | Lewis Rees, the pastor at Gellionnen Chapel, near Pontardawe, had to turn his congregation away when they arrived for the morning service on Sunday. |
| The vandals threw paint at the walls, destroyed pews, pushed out a 12ft tall window and smashed the pulpit which is more than 200 years old. | The vandals threw paint at the walls, destroyed pews, pushed out a 12ft tall window and smashed the pulpit which is more than 200 years old. |
| Police are appealing for information about the damage caused. | Police are appealing for information about the damage caused. |
| Mr Rees said: "You often hear about footballers being 'gutted' and that's how it felt. | Mr Rees said: "You often hear about footballers being 'gutted' and that's how it felt. |
| "To see the sheer wanton destruction of such a historic old building is not something you expect to see," he added. | "To see the sheer wanton destruction of such a historic old building is not something you expect to see," he added. |
| To come in and spend a long time here actually wantonly destroying things is beyond me Pastor Lewis Rees | To come in and spend a long time here actually wantonly destroying things is beyond me Pastor Lewis Rees |
| The vandals are thought to have smashed their way in after forcing security gates from their hinges. | The vandals are thought to have smashed their way in after forcing security gates from their hinges. |
| Mr Rees realised there had been a break-in when he found flowers strewn around the parking area when he arrived to open for Sunday's service. | |
| In addition to breaking the pews and throwing paint around, the vandals also pushed out one of four 12ft tall feature windows. | In addition to breaking the pews and throwing paint around, the vandals also pushed out one of four 12ft tall feature windows. |
| He said: "A window that size would take some effort to dislodge. I was just shocked at the sheer destruction. | He said: "A window that size would take some effort to dislodge. I was just shocked at the sheer destruction. |
| "This building dates from 1802 and a lot of the woodwork is from that period. | "This building dates from 1802 and a lot of the woodwork is from that period. |
| The chapel is in a remote location on Mynydd Gellionnen | The chapel is in a remote location on Mynydd Gellionnen |
| "The pulpit in particular is a very important architectural piece of joinery work and that has been absolutely destroyed. | "The pulpit in particular is a very important architectural piece of joinery work and that has been absolutely destroyed. |
| "I hope that we can repair it and reinstate it as it should be but I fear it may be beyond economic repair. | "I hope that we can repair it and reinstate it as it should be but I fear it may be beyond economic repair. |
| "The systematic destruction is something that has shocked me greatly - we've had break-ins in the past where people have come in and knocked things about a bit and then left it - but to come in and spend a long time here actually wantonly destroying things is beyond me." | "The systematic destruction is something that has shocked me greatly - we've had break-ins in the past where people have come in and knocked things about a bit and then left it - but to come in and spend a long time here actually wantonly destroying things is beyond me." |
| A chapel has stood on the site for hundreds of years and parts of the building date back to 1692. | A chapel has stood on the site for hundreds of years and parts of the building date back to 1692. |
| Mr Rees said the chapel was popular despite its remote location on Mynydd Gellionnen. | Mr Rees said the chapel was popular despite its remote location on Mynydd Gellionnen. |
| The Christmas Eve service was particularly popular, often attracting 250 worshippers, some from as far away as New Zealand. | The Christmas Eve service was particularly popular, often attracting 250 worshippers, some from as far away as New Zealand. |
| Anyone with any information about the attack can contact South Wales Police on 01792 456999 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 | Anyone with any information about the attack can contact South Wales Police on 01792 456999 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 |