Vandals force historic priory to close

VANDALS have forced the closure of a historic Yorkshire priory until the end of the school summer holidays after unprecedented levels of damage and anti-social behaviour at the site.

Security guards have been drafted in to protect grade I listed Monk Bretton Priory in Barnsley, and police are investigating two break-ins in which youths left a trail of destruction.

Yesterday, the gates to the property, which is owned and managed by English Heritage, were firmly locked to keep out troublemakers, while visitors unaware of the closure were turned away.