In an unlawful historical re-enactment, the lead from Tintern Abbey was attacked again last week.

The thieves were disturbed attempting to strip the lead from the side isle off the nave.

CADW were on the scene next day assessing damage.

Local residents are outraged that people should treat this Grade I listed national monument with such irreverence and that it should continue to be targeted by criminals.

This comes less than a year after thieves stole the safe in the Abbey tearooms and then set fire to the visitor centre causing much damage.

Tintern Abbey was founded by Cistersian monks in the twelfth century. Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries saw it ruined and in the 1540's the lead was stripped from the roof of the nave and transepts and sold; one of the reasons that the majestic building crumbled.

The problem of lead theft from churches is not a new one. A gang of six Lithuanian men who systematically stole lead from the roofs of churches across Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire were jailed for a total of 20 years and 6 months last December with the Judge commenting "you have desecrated the heritage of this country".

Metal theft has recently been targeted as one of the most pernicious crimes and legislation passed in December 2012 banned cash transactions for scrap metal in an attempt to reduce the number of people who think of this kind of theft as an easy option. However, it seems that the transactions are still happening as metal theft is a continuing blight.

That one of our national monuments is targeted is of particular offence as we hope that these sites are thoroughly protected.