SECURITY cameras could be installed at a Kates Hill church after yobs were caught urinating against a war memorial and drinking in the graveyard.

Litter louts are also leaving broken bottles, empty cans and cigarette ends scattered within the grounds of St John’s Church.

Members of St John’s Church Preservation Group are on a mission to stamp out the anti-social behaviour, having reopened the grade II listed building last summer, following a nine-year battle.

Group chairman, Deb Brownlee, said people are using the war memorial, which remembers 120 people from Dudley who served in the First World War, as a "toilet" and a place to "get drunk and drop fag ends".

She said: “I know there was a long period of time where the graveyard wasn’t looked after and it became a magnet for people to loiter but we are determined to drive this out.”

She continued: “It seems like we are spending all day, every day, cleaning up after these people.

“We want to get the message out there that St John’s is not a dossing place, we are taking a zero tolerance approach.

“We get some of the same faces coming back but we have seen a lot of them off.”

The group, who are looking at getting CCTV cameras installed around the building, are also appealing for volunteers to carry out security patrols.

Volunteers will not be expected to approach people themselves - if they do spot anything untoward, they will be asked to call a trustee who will ask people to move on.

Anyone willing to help should drop by the church, which is open daily from 10am to 4pm, and ‘take the pledge’ by committing to volunteer for two hours per month.

The group have also left ‘guardian cards’ in the church, with trustee’s contact details on and are asking people who live in the area to pick one up and get in touch if they see anything while passing by.

People can also pledge their support by calling Deb on 07871195042.