A FORMER church which was badly damaged by a fire may have to be demolished.
Firefighters were called to St Peter’s Methodist Church in St Helens Road, Daubhill, at 10.10pm on Sunday and spent three hours battling the flames.
The roof and back wall collapsed in the blaze.
Bolton Council’s building control section have carried out two inspections and have erected emergency fencing. They have advised the owners that what is left of the building should be pulled down.
Fire chiefs believe the blaze was started deliberately because two seats of fire were discovered.
The church was closed in 2001. Plans were unveiled last year to demolish it and build a housing estate with five houses and a five-storey building with basement parking, 19 apartments and four retail units.
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