Award winning church garden’s flower tubs were stolen over the weekend.

The Lancaster Road United Reformed Church's garden was burgled twice over the weekend.

The garden is nurtured by 87-year-old volunteer Peter Williams, and it won the competition, Enfield In Bloom over the years.

Over Friday and Sunday, eight large flower tubs were stolen.

James Holliday the treasurer of the church said: “The gardens of Lancaster Road United Reformed Church and also our hall gardens in Armfield Road are places of beauty that one volunteer keeps in tip top shape and we have the honour of winning prizes in Enfield In Bloom and other competitions during the year.

'I am very saddened that someone would steal from a church garden."

The large tubs, full of blooming flowers, were very heavy, which left Mr Holliday confused as to why someone would go through all the trouble.

Mr Holliday said: “I do wonder why someone would go to all this effort to destroy beautiful gardens that has taken a volunteer hours of hard work to keep in the condition that they are.

“The church garden in particular is the only place in Lancaster Road where people can sit and enjoy the smell and view of the flowers.

“Will we now have to lock our church garden?”