A church warden who swindled his church in Northumberland out of over £35,000 has been ordered by a judge to pay back every penny.

Steven Clark took the cash from a fund which was planned to fund a restoration of the 12th century St Michael & All Angels Church in Alnham.

Sentencing the 48 year old, Mr Recorder Ray Singh said: "There can be no bigger breach of trust one can imagine than these particular circumstances."

Newcastle Crown Court was told Mr Clark spent £35,690 on purchases including 76 bottles of wine, feed for his horses & drinks at private members' clubs in London.

Mr Clark pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position in a wave of deceitful transactions spanning from January 2015 until Nov. 2016.

Avoiding jail, the married father of one was sentenced to 2 years in prison, suspended for 2 years. He was also told to undertake 240 of unpaid work & pay £1,500 in costs.

Mr Clark's actions were found out when the treasurer of the local district council became wary about certain items of expenditure.