Wigan church 'significantly damaged' after car smashes into it

A church has been left badly damaged after a car ploughed into the side of the building in an early hours smash.

Police raced to St Luke’s Church Centre, near to the junction of Golborne Road and Bolton Road in Ashton, at around 1.10am on Monday (June 14).

Dramatic photos from the scene show the wall of the structure boarded up with bricks scattered across the ground and police tape around the building.

A council buildings officer and church representatives have visited the site to assess if there is any structural damage. The building has now been secured and is awaiting further inspection.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the driver was reported for driving without due care and attention and taken to hospital with an ankle injury.

Coun Danny Fletcher, of Ashton, said it was “awful” for the congregation and hoped the damage wasn’t too bad.

He said: “The driver has gone into the side wall of the church. It took some doing for them to come off the road.

“A council buildings officer has been at the church and church representatives and the building has been secured and is awaiting further assessments to check the extent of the structural damage.

“The damage is quite significant but hopefully it’s not too bad. It’s awful and devastating for the congregation and the community.”

Coun Fletcher added that he would support the church in any way he could.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Liverpool described their ‘shock’ at the incident.

They said: “The community at St Luke’s were shocked to see the level of damage this accident has caused. They moved quickly to secure the site and are now obtaining professional reports into the level of structural damage and what will be needed to make the building safe for use. In the meantime, they give thanks to the Methodist church for enabling the community to keep worshipping on a temporary basis”

Aidan Thatcher, assistant director for growth and housing at Wigan Council said: “Following a collision with the church building, our officers attended the site at the earliest point in order to assess the condition of the building and to arrange for the church to be secured in the interest of public safety. The property owners are now discussing repair works to the premises and are looking to put temporary measures in place.

“We are pleased that nobody was injured as a result of this accident.”

A GMP spokesman said: "At around 1.10am on Monday (June 14), police were called to a report of a single-car collision near to the junction of Golborne Road and Bolton Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield.

"The driver was later taken to hospital for an ankle injury.

"He has been reported for driving without due car and attention."

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