The vicar of Soham said he was "horrified" after three boys admitted desecrating the town's church eight days after schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman vanished.

The attack caused nearly £1,000 worth of damage to St Andrew's Church.

A crucifix, a wooden chest and the church's public address system were damaged and human excrement was smeared over clerical garments.

The three boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, but are all in their early teens, admitted taking part in the attack when they appeared before a youth court in nearby Ely, Cambridgeshire, on Thursday.

We can only hope that these boys now realise what damage they have done

The Reverend Tim Alban Jones

The court heard that the damage had been caused on 12 August.

Closed circuit TV cameras at the church showed the boys going in and out several times.

Magistrates sentenced each of the boys to a six month referral order and ordered each to pay £50 compensation to the church and apologise to the vicar, The Reverend Tim Alban Jones.

'Absolutely horrified'

The boys, two aged 13 and one aged 14, denied smearing excrement but admitted causing other damage.

On Friday Mr Alban Jones said: "I'm absolutely horrified by what they did.

"They would have had to walk past the picture of Holly and Jessica and past the flowers to do this.

"How can you explain this kind of behaviour, especially in these circumstances?

"The church had been left open so that villagers could pray for the safe return of Holly and Jessica and this damage was done in the daytime when no one was around.

"I didn't tell anyone at the time and what has happened will be news to people and I am sure they will be as horrified as me.

Awaiting trial

"We can only hope that these boys now realise what damage they have done and what pain they have caused. If that happens maybe some good will come out of it."

Holly and Jessica disappeared on 4 August after being seen walking near their home in Soham.

The bodies of the two girls, both aged 10, were found at Lakenheath, Suffolk, on 17 August.

Ian Huntley, 28, of Soham, has been charged with murdering the girls and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

His partner, Maxine Carr, 25, also of Soham, has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Both are awaiting trial.