A relic that contains the blood of a prominent Polish priest who was murdered in the 1980s has been stolen from a church in Boston, Lincolnshire.

According to Lincolnshire Police, the burglary took place in the afternoon of 9th May at St Nicholas Church.

Among other items taken from the building, was the reliquary containing the blood of Jerzy Popieluszko.

The Roman Catholic priest was beatified by the church in December 2009 after being murdered by Poland's communist secret police for his anti-communist sermons.

The then Pope, Benedict XVI said “his passionate service and his martyrdom are a special token of the victory of good over evil.”

Fr Jerzy Popieluszko was kidnapped in 1984 by three state police officers before he was dumped, with a stone tied to his feet, into the Vistula Water Reservoir, west of Warsaw.

Speaking to the BBC, Fr John Underhill said the item was "gifted to St Nicholas church by a member of the faithful for public devotion.

"It sat on the high altar of St Nicholas church for the Parish Mass on Sundays, where it was incorporated into the liturgy."

Lincolnshire Police said officers have appealed to anyone who may have any information about the robbery to contact them.