Handwritten letters threatening petrol bomb attacks and mass stabbings have been sent to 15 churches in the UK in the past two months, according to Barnabas Fund.

“Stop all your services straight away,” said one letter sent to a church in Sheffield. “If you don’t, your church will be petrol bombed while in service. Continue behind closed doors and your congregation members will be stabbed one by one. Blood on your hands. You have been warned.”

Barnabas Fund reported that services were continuing and police officers had been deployed to the churches affected.

A local faith school decided to withdraw pupils from services at the Sheffield church after they received the threatening letter.

A police investigation had been opened and inquiries were ongoing as we went to press.