Woman falls off Huntingdon town centre church roof

A lady on top of the church roof at Huntingdon (Image: Archant)

Emergency services were called at about 3.30pm to St Mary’s Church in the High Street after a woman climbed onto the roof.

A lady on top of the church roof at Huntingdon (Image: Archant)

She was seen entering various businesses along the High Street beforehand.

The woman, who was barefooted, appears to have fallen after balancing precariously on the top of a small cross at the end of the nave. As she stepped down, she lost balance, grabbed the cross but fell as the cross broke off from the roof.

A small crowd gathered outside the church and watched as she tried to climb up the church tower from the nave, then traversed the apex of the roof. The crowd gasped as she fell.

It is believed she fell onto a ledge below.

Paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team were seen climbing up onto a ledge of the church.

Huntingdon town ranger Craig said he alerted the police after the woman was seen running down High Street talking about religion.

After she fell, the ranger said that he didn’t know how serious her injuries were, but she was breathing.

Laura Branton, 28, of Godmanchester, was walking home when she saw a police car outside of the church. She told The Hunts Post “When I got here, she was on the low roof. She stood on the cross with her arms out and I think she was singing carols.”

Ann Peaper, 25, also from Godmanchester, added: “The cross just fell on her and she just fell. I hope she’s alright.”

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: “We were called at just before 3.30pm with a report of concern for a woman who was in the High Street, Huntington, and appeared to be in an agitated state.

“She then climbed up St Mary’s Church and got onto the roof. At about 4pm she fell a distance and a piece of the church fell on her.

“We are working with the fire service to try to get her down. It doesn’t appear she is badly injured.”