A BUILDER is thankful to be in one piece after thieves stole copper piping, triggering a gas leak in the church he is converting.
Elim Pentecostal church has recently relocated to the old Warren Hotel from Kendray, and Richard Walsh was staying in the building overnight, as he was awaiting a delivery early the next morning.
He said: “I was woken up at around 4am as I could hear a disturbance at the back of the building. I went and had a look but I couldn’t see anything.
“I woke up again at 7am as I had to get ready for the delivery of goods to the building for the renovation works. I went to use the bathroom but I could not turn on the taps.
“I went downstairs into the store room to see what was going on and I was greeted with an overwhelming strong smell of gas.
“I immediately went to turn the gas off at the mains and I went outside to investigate.”
Richard went to the back of building to discover that copper piping had been ripped from the building, and a window had been smashed.
“I immediately contacted the police and Florentine King, who is overlooking the renovations from the church.
“It’s lucky that I did not switch on a light or have a cigarette. I would have been blown to pieces.”
Police arrived at the scene to assess the building and two gas engineers were called to secure the pipe.
Mrs King said: “It is saddening that yet again vandals feel it is appropriate to strike the building yet again.
“As a church we are deeply concerned with this recurring incident and we would like to urge anyone with information to please contact the police.”
