CCTV cameras will be installed at a church after a series of lockdown parties and motorbike yobs damaging graves.

St Nicholas Church, on Church Road, Laindon, has been used by boozing teenagers on a weekly basis who leave a trail of litter and mess.

Motorbikes have also been ridden through the graveyard with bosses set to install CCTV to catch the yobs.

Empty beer cans have been left scattered across the church grounds, with benches and noticeboards also damaged.

Reverend Andrei Petrine will now spend £2,200 of Essex County Council funding on six new cameras.

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He said: “It’s been a struggle. We raised £1,000 but we realised that wasn’t going to be enough.

“We need good quality cameras because of the distances we need to cover.

“It’s so important to have the cameras. It will help prevent the gatherings.

“They will also help catch those responsible. We’ve had no luck so far.

“The parties were a regular occurrence in the latest lockdown.”

The site has been plagued with trouble during the pandemic, with yobs setting benches on fire in September.

Councillor Jeff Henry was given £10,000 of County Hall funding for Laindon, with £3,000 given to the church.

The remaining £800 will be spent on lawnmowers to help maintain land.

Mr Henry said: “The cameras are vitally important for the church. It’s the most beautiful; thing we’ve got left in Laindon. We need to protect it.

“Laughing gas cannisters are constantly left there. Bottles and rubbish have also been left behind.

“The benches have all been smashed up. I don’t understand why they would choose to do it there, its ridiculous.”

The fires in September were caused by yobs lighting logs, which then spread to benches.

Mr Petrine added: “The cameras will be all across the church, graveyard, and garden of remembrance “I’ve asked people to come up here in the evenings to act as if they’re on patrol.

“The problems begin from around 6pm into the evening. They turn up here on their bikes and scooters. We can see the tracks.”