Tony a saint as he saves church

Photo: Darren Robinson

Fire started by accident by workmen at Christ Church, Friezland. Workers after fire was put out.

A rector has hailed a quick-thinking parishioner as a Good Samaritan for saving a Saddleworth church from a serious fire yesterday.

Retired pharmacist Tony Littlewood fought his way through choking smoke to extinguish a blaze in the roof at Christ Church, Friezland.

And Saddleworth CE team rector, Father Christopher Halliday, said: “If it hadn’t been for Tony’s quick thinking actions we could have lost part of the church completely. He really is a Good Samaritan. He certainly saved the day.”

Tony (65), is the church key holder and lives next to the 165-year-old building at Church Road.

Tony said: “The alarm kept ringing so I got the keys and opened the church door. The church was thick with smoke and I could hardly see. I called the emergency services and the church wardens.

“I grabbed a fire extinguisher and squirted a powerful jet at the flames before running outside and passing the extinguisher by ladder to the roofer.

“Then I returned to the church, got a second extinguisher and put out the flames as the firefighters arrived.”

He added: “Thankfully, the organ and the church interior were untouched. The firefighters did a marvellous job.

“More than £100,000 had been spent on the church. I’m just so pleased it is still intact,” he added.

Fr Halliday said: “Tony did a wonderful job. Things could have been much more serious if he had not moved so quickly.”