A historic nativity crib has been vandalised again, leaving its future uncertain.

Cleckheaton and District Rotary Club's Christmas crib, in Bradford Road, has been a seasonal attraction in the town for more than 40 years.

Countless carols have been sung and brass bands have played around it.

But the club does not know if it can afford to continually repair the crib after its glass front was smashed again.

Two years ago, the figures in the crib were vandalised and then painstakingly restored by a teacher and pupils at Whitcliffe Mount School in Cleckheaton. This year the figures were not taken or vandalised but the front was shattered by vandals.

The crib has now been dismantled and it is not certain if it will appear next year.

Rotary publicity officer Joanne Catlow admitted the crib's future looked bleak and said Rotarians would discuss whether it was worth repairing for next Christmas.

"Rather than renew the glass at this stage, we have dismantled the crib and taken it away because the money has to come from our charitable funds," she said.

"It is a shame because it has been a constant feature in the town at Christmas for generations and is for the people of Spen Valley. If it is replaced next year, we would want a safer place. But with it being so large, it is not easy."

As well as being the nativity scene, the crib was used as a collection point for toys and presents which Rotary then distributed to organisations such as the Salvation Army and Shelter to give to disadvantaged children.

"It was fitted with reinforced glass a few years ago because of this situation and last year it was vandalised on Christmas Eve of all days," said Ms Catlow, who appealed to local businesses to offer safe housing for the crib next year.

She said the vandals were caught on security cameras outside Wetherspoon pub Obediah Brooke's.

Keith Joplin, President of Spenborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: "It does concern me when we think of putting anything in that area of town that it may be vandalised in the future. The nativity scene was a great draw for children and families and now they can't see it."