A fireman tackles the blaze from an extension ladder as the smoke clears above the gutted church.

Rosegrove Methodist Church went up in flames yesterday, 2nd September 1982, for the second time in a week. The minister, the Rev. Peter Seddon, was among the crowd of about 100 onlookers who watched a large team of firemen tackle the midday blaze. A brisk breeze fanned the flames and the church roof was completely burnt out. Smoke was so thick at first that firemen fixed hose reels to extension ladders to get at the blaze. It is thought that the fire brigade was alerted about 1.30 p.m. Mr. Seddon admitted that he was "shattered" as he watched the church burn for the second time in four days. On Monday, a smaller fire burnt a section of the roof. Minister's wife Mrs. June Seddon said that earlier in the week workmen were burning paint off the church in preparation for repainting when the roof caught alight.

The church, which originally cost over £3,000 a substantial sum when it was built in 1901, has been ill-fated before. During the 75th anniversary celebrations in 1977 there was a burst in the water system, but the celebrations went ahead as planned. It was too early yesterday to say whether the church could be used again. The sandstone-built church was opened in November, 1902, and yesterday it appeared that only the facade of the original church remained. Station Officer Tony Cornwall said "When we arrived, the organ on the first floor was well alight and the fire was rapidly spreading to the roof. It affected the whole of the roof and the centre area of the first floor. The first floor is in the form of a balcony, so a lot of the centre of the roof dropped through the church, causing a severe amount of damage. We have managed to save the altar and some of the altar furniture which we carried to safety. We used three appliances and a turntable ladder and it took nearly two hours to bring the fire under control."