Derelict church is 'deathtrap'

Russell Steele Russell Steele - 1627 • Published 25 Jul 2008 12:00

A 20-STRONG gang of tearaways is laying siege to buildings on a Greenock east end street.

Youths have repeatedly tried to set fire to a derelict church on Crescent Street and attacked a hall used by a voluntary training organisation directly opposite it.

Police and fire chiefs say the neds are dicing with death by trying to start blazes at the former Cartsdyke Parish Church - while workers at nearby Unity Enterprise (UE) fear for their safety after their premises were trashed.

Isabel Humphreys, of UE, said: 'It"s all ages, boys and girls, right down to wee tots.

'Since the demolition started on the high flats in Belville Street, they"ve taken it as a go-ahead to wreck the place.

'I don"t feel safe. We"ve had obscenities and stones thrown and had people sitting drinking on the steps at 3pm in the afternoon.' In one of the latest incidents, timber was hauled out of the old church and used to start a fire outside the UE hall.

The yobs have also caused £1,000 worth of damage to the Unity centre roof and smashed a five-foot hole in the side of the building.

Fire crews have been making trips to extinguish blazes at the disused church - described as a "death trap" by a local - on a number of occasions.

A spokesperson for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said: 'Children are hanging about and there is a real danger one of them is going to end up injured.The church floor is insecure and there is a risk a child could end up falling down a hole.'

Police chiefs told the Tele they fear it is only a matter of time before someone is killed at the church.

Chief Inspector Grant Manders, of Strathclyde Police, said: 'We have been called to the church three times in the last month because of fires started at the building.

'If young people think it is fun to set fire to rubbish at derelict buildings like this they are sadly mistaken.

'It is a matter of time before they, or some innocent person, is seriously injured, or killed, as a result of this stupidity.

'By definition, all derelict properties can be hazardous and a magnet for illegal and dangerous activities.

'We invited the Telegraph along to show the dangers in the premises and we will now be carrying out extra patrols. We are also currently taking steps to get the place secured.'

The church at the centre of the attacks has been unoccupied for some time and was the subject of a successful planning application in June 2005 - when a London-based businessman got permission to convert it into 14 loft-style apartments.

Inverclyde Council told the Tele they have had no word from the developers since then.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 25 Jul 08

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