CHURCH bosses have warned youngsters they are risking their lives by constantly climbing onto a rooftop and running around.

Scaffolding has been up on the three-storey Colchester Baptist Church in Eld Lane for the past few weeks so the near 200-year-old building can be repainted.

But groups of youths have been caught several times clambering up on to the top of the building including in broad daylight on Tuesday.

Church administrator Paul Clover said he feared any accident could have disastrous consequences.

He said: “We are very concerned.

“Signs have now been put up warning people not to go on the scaffolding without permission.

“If somebody gets hurt then it could well turn out to be fatal.

“It is a long way down from there as it is nearly three storeys high.

“The people I have seen up there I would estimate they are aged between 12 and 14-years-old.

“At one stage the deacon went out and spoke to parents who have seen their children get up there but they don’t seem to care.

“They are just letting their children run amok.

“There doesn’t seem to be any respect anymore.”

Mr Clover said the police were called about the latest incident but he was told they were too busy to attend, however, contractors carrying out the work have been told to expect a visit soon to try to stop the dangerous game.

Security from the nearby Red Lion Walk shopping centre has also been alerted to the issue.

Mr Clover said as well as the risk of falling off, people running on the roof was also causing damage to the church which has stood on the same site since 1834.

He said: “If they break the tiles then the roof underneath is slate and you cannot walk on it without support.

“If the tiles do break then water is going to get in through the roof and it is going to get wet and end up gushing into the church when it is not expected.

“The guttering on the side of the church has also been vandalised in some way.

“We will have to replace it.

“It is a difficult situation for everyone here.”