Masonry falls from West Bromwich church

Churchgoers had a lucky escape when loose masonry crashed to the ground outside a Black Country church.

Vicar Neil Robbie found a sandstone rose outside the entrance to West Bromwich's Holy Trinity Church when opening up before Sunday services. It had fallen from the clock face during the night and shattered on the ground.

The doors had to be cordoned off due to fears more debris could fall onto people below. Builders were then called in to examine the building, on Burlington Road, which dates back to 1840, and steeplejcks climbed the church to take a closer look.

Rev Robbie said: "The sandstone rose that had come off was about the size of a volleyball, but was literally smashed to pieces. It looked like someone had dropped a bag of flour.

"It had fallen off overnight, but had it come down in the morning it could have killed someone."

Steeplejacks found much of the decorative work around the steeple's clock face had come loose and have since had to remove it.

Rev Robbie's wife Amanda Robbie said: "The sandstone had weathered and suffered the effects of pollution since the church was built in 1840, and the stone had started to crumble.

"The team of steeplejacks had to abseil down the tower to check all the stone decorations. The original chunks that fell off came from a decorative arch over the church clock.

"When the men went to check the rest of that particular arch, large chunks crumbled off in their hands.

"They have subsequently removed as much as they can from that side."

The work was carried out at the end of last month and access to the church is now back to normal.

Bosses are now working out what to do about replacing the decorative stone, which protects the clock face.

Holy Trinity has recently undergone a scheduled five- year inspection, with a report highlighting a number of other areas where work is needed.