MISSING members of a church congregation have been picked out of a police identity parade by a vicar who recognised their stony gaze.

The Rev David Porter, of All Saints' Church in Pavement, York, picked out the Victorian statues, which would cost an estimated £100,000 to replace, in the line-up after they were discovered by police in Huddersfield earlier this month.

They had been missing since a break-in at the church nearly four years ago.

Mr Porter said: "I must admit I'm used to looking up at them where they stood above the altar, and at the police station I was looking down at them. They looked like garden gnomes.

"I had to have a good look, but I recognised their haircuts and things like that and they were definitely the ones that went missing."

The statues, which are so valuable because the pink alabaster they are made from is no longer quarried, depict Apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter and Paul.

But one of the ensemble is still missing.

Mr Porter said: "I saw that one was missing, but I was only there to identify them and I didn't take in which one wasn't there."

"It is good to have them back and to think they will be used for the purpose they were meant for, but if we put them back in the church there would be a gap where the missing one had stood."

The statues will not be returning to All Saints' and have become the property of its insurers.

In their place stands a 20th century artisit's impression of the six characters, made of clay and paid for by the insurers after the originals disappeared.

Mr Porter said: "In our view the new statues are much finer, with very distinguishable features, and we would rather retain them now.

"I don't know what will happen to the originals, but they are the property of the insurers and we are very happy with the new ones." <FONT FACE="CentSchbook BT">

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Police probe club blaze</FONT>

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ARSONISTS were today blamed for a fire at York Tennis Club's pavilion in Clifton Park, York.</FONT>

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