PERSONAL attack alarms are to be issued to every churchman across the region.

The move is a direct reaction to the huge numbers of violent assaults, robberies and arson attacks at places of worship.

Shocking figures seen by the Daily Post show that Merseyside churches have averaged two assaults or robberies and one arson attack every day for the past three years.

Crime watchdog Churchwatch plans a cross-faith crime-busting network to monitor attacks.

It could see every church, mosque, temple and synagogue linked up by e-mail to share information about suspected attackers.

The news comes just a week after the Archbishop of York warned that a tide of crime was leaving deprived areas across the country without clergy.

Merseyside Churchwatch founder the Rev Harry Ross said many ministers are living in fear of being battered and robbed in their own homes following several high-profile incidents.

There were 674 crimes recorded by the region's ministers in 2002 but Mr Ross believes that is just "the tip of the iceberg".

Many attacks, he says, go unreported because ministers think they should show "compassion".

Three vicars have already requested panic alarms and many are even refusing to walk around their own parishes wearing a dog collar for fear of assaults.

Several churches have already stepped up security by locking their doors during the day.

The Rev Tim Stratford has been burgled eight times and assaulted once since he moved to the Good Shepherd church in West Derby, Liverpool, eight years ago.

The vicar describes the time he was kicked and punched by a beggar on his own doorstep in summer 1999 as "the typical scenario".