A CRUCIFIXION cross stolen from a Kidderminster church hours before it was due to be used at a funeral has been returned.

The wooden cross is now back at St Ambrose Roman Catholic Church – one month after it was taken from the Birmingham Road building in what police described as a “sickening” theft.

A man had found it on the wall of his flat after he returned from holiday and gave it back to the church on Saturday, February 15.

The cross, which is about 3ft long and between two and four-and-a-half inches thick, had been made for the parish priest, Father Douglas Lamb, who said he was “thrilled” to have it back.

He added another cross had been made in the meantime: “I didn’t think we would get it back.

“We were so thrilled to get it back. It was of no monetary value, but it has tre - mendous significance and importance to our parish and the church.”

He added the cross had been taken from the top of a coffin hours before the funeral service was due to take place.

“How it was taken we don’t know because it’s so heavy,” added Fr Lamb. “It’s not been marked or anything.

“When I announced at the weekend that it had been returned, everyone was so thrilled and really delighted. People were disgusted and appalled that it had been taken.