More than 600 incidents of criminal damage have been recorded at places of worship in the North in the past five years, according to a Christian charity.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) figures obtained following a Freedom of Information request by Christian Action Research and Education (Care) NI showed there have been 601 such attacks between 2014/15 and 2018/19.

The figures include all crimes recorded as criminal damage to religious buildings, churchyards or cemeteries.

Recent incidents, the charity said, include an arson attack on St Saviour’s church in Craigavon, Co Armagh in July, and damage to the interior and a smashed window at Brantry parish church in Co Tyrone in April.

However, the figures also showed that the number of incidents has fallen each year, from 136 in 2014/15 to 104 in 2018/19.