A TEIGNMOUTH church that has been blighted by under-age drinkers has been given a clean sweep. Wardens at St James's Church say that most of the problems have been solved thanks to quick action by the police, Teignbridge blitz team and the town council. CCTV has been installed at the site, mess left by late-night revellers cleared and community bobbies have kept an eye on the consecrated land. Warden Val Clough said that the efforts have been 'fantastic'. 'We are not finding drinks bottles or cans and whatever else they were getting up to here seems to have stopped,' she said. But Our Lady and St Patrick's RC church has since been targeted with vandals bending window bars and knocking away at the masonry. The problems were first highlighted when Rev Phillip Luff and the wardens approached the town council about the problems. Evidence of cannabis roll-ups, drink cans, faeces and underwear were found in the church grounds. At Tuesday's town council's Finance and General Purposes meeting, Cllr David Cox said the clean up 'shows that the police working with the town and district council really moves things forward.' He proposed that the town council donate £500 for the community police officer's pot to help fight crime, an idea first mooted some months ago. Some councillors raised concern about having to 'pay again' for services that are already covered by council tax. Cllr Dick Petherick was concerned that a donation would set a precedent that would mean more money every year. The council agreed to support the police and would consider any requests for money towards specific initiatives.
