A Ramsbottom church is set to be closed for several weeks after a pinnacle was struck by lightning, causing a scene of devastation inside.

The tower of St Andrew’s Church was hit at around 7.15am on Tuesday causing debris to come crashing through the roof.

Nobody was injured during the freak incident, but the church on Bolton Road West has been left severely damaged.

The playground of the adjacent St Andrew’s Primary School was also affected, with fragments of masonry covering the area.

Just a week earlier, children — who have now broken up for the summer holidays — had performing their summer show in the church.

Rector Andy Lindop said: “We feel incredibly fortunate that no one was injured and that there was no children playing in the playground.

“The church is the people and not the building, the life of the church will carry on whether the building is there or not.

“It so unsafe I don’t think anyone has been able to assess the damage properly yet.”

The damage occurred above where the congregation sits, with falling masonry from the eight-foot pinnacle leaving a gaping hole in the roof.

Steve Openshaw, an assistant curate at the church, said: “One of the pinnacles has gone through the roof and it is very unsafe at the moment around there.

“It looks like it has exploded, and there are big pieces of stone that have gone metres away.”

Mr Openshaw, of nearby Carrwood Hey, added: “The church is going to be closed for a substantial amount of time while they get it sorted out and refurbished, which is going to be very upsetting for the congregation.”

Watch Manager at Ramsbottom Fire Station Ady Tonge said they were met by a scene of “devastation”, and had to distinguish a small fire in the clockroom in the tower.

He said: “It looked like it had been bombed.

“It was shocking and quite unbelievable really.

“If it had happened when there was people in the building there could have been terrible injuries or even deaths.

Mr Tonge said that the tower was in a “precarious condition”, and if there was further lightning or heavy wind there could be further problems as blocks of masonry still remain loose.

l Lightning also caused problems for commuters in Bury, with delays on the Metrolink after the signalling depot at Queens Road was struck and similar problems at Manchester Piccadilly causing delays of more than an hour.

A Met Office spokesman said that there was a chance of further thundery showers and lightning today and then again on Sunday.