VICARS are increasingly coming under attack from violent members of the public throughout Britain - but Worcestershire is getting itself known as a safe haven.

This week the Archbishop of York, David Hope, said violent assaults on clergy, and burglaries from churches, were making some vicars too frightened to take up posts in some city areas.

But the Archdeacon of Worcester, Dr Joy Tetley, said violent incidents were not a problem the clergy in Worcester had to deal with very often.

And that makes posts in the diocese more attractive to vicars from other parts of the country.

"While there have been a number of nuisance incidents where vicarages have been a target for young teenage pranks, thankfully, I do not know of any violent incidents against clergy in the Worcester area," she said

Nicola Currie, Press officer for the Worcester Diocese, said security devices installed in vicarages had gone some way to preventing violent attacks.

"During the last few years, the diocese has installed security devices in all vicarages," she said.

"It is an on-going programme that recognises that measures such as these are necessary in today's world."

She said in the last 20 years there had been a change in the kind of people who went to the vicarage door.

"There has been an increase in drug-related crimes and I would suggest this is related to crimes against clergy.

"The perpetrators are not necessarily in control of what they say and do."

She said incidents of violence against the clergy in Worcestershire were lower than elsewhere.

"I would suspect incidents in this county are lower than the national average," she said.

"On the whole, we don't have a problem filling posts."

n If you are a vicar or churchwarden, and you have come under attack, the Evening News would like to hear from you. Call the newsdesk on 01905 74 22 44 or e-mail: wenedit@thisisworcester.co.uk