Hundreds of people have des-troyed a church in north China, beating some parishioners, a church member and a rights group said yesterday, but an official said the building was not a place of worship.

Around 400 people in police uniforms destroyed a church complex in Shanxi province's Fushan county on Sunday, striking several worshippers, some of whom were hospitalised, rights group ChinaAid said in an emailed statement.

A female parishioner, who refused to be named for fear of persecution, said that seven people were still in hospital receiving treatment yesterday.

"Fushan is a place where the church is oppressed," she said.

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