Teenage girl rescued from roof in Wigan town centre

A teenager had to be rescued from the roof of a building in Wigan town centre by the emergency services.
Emergency services in Market PlaceEmergency services in Market Place
Emergency services in Market Place

The whole of Market Place was cordoned off while the fire service retrieved the girl from her precarious position on top of the Goldsmiths jewellers on Sunday morning.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 13-year-old was eventually brought safely back to the ground by a large aerial appliance, with the specialist technical rescue unit also in attendance.

Emergency service vehicles in Market PlaceEmergency service vehicles in Market Place
Emergency service vehicles in Market Place

The entire operation lasted just under an hour, with fire services being called to the scene by police at around 7.45am on Sunday.

Fire service fear the alarming incident may have been a prank gone wrong and are now urging youngsters to think about the consequences of engaging in such challenges with their friends.

The teenager was left in the care of the police.

Watch manager Carl Gleaves from Wigan fire station said: "She was stranded in pyjamas on the apex of a relatively steep section of the roof in need of rescuing. She was asking for help.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It is unclear how she got up there, but she did allude to the fact it might have been a dare among friends.

"This is what happens to fire service resources when children dare each other to undertake tasks like this and we would ask them to consider in the future the amount of time and effort involved for us when dares go wrong.

"She was rescued by the hydraulic platform vehicle. We did have a plan B in place if she panicked and could have used ladders, but we prefer to use the specialist rescue platforms.

"In this case we could and that was down to the co-operation of the casualty."

Fortunately the area was quiet early on Sunday morning and the cordon caused little disruption.

Related topics: