WORSHIPPERS narrowly avoided catastrophe when a section of a Kendal town centre chapel building ceiling plummeted to the floor just inches from where they were drinking tea.

Churchgoers attending the morning service at Kendal Unitarian Chapel on Sunday, November 6, watched on in horror as a chunk of the ornate pink ceiling in the Grade II Listed Schoolroom building began visibly falling away above their heads.

The building, which is regularly used by a wide range of community groups and charities, is now out of bounds due to safety, and faces a lengthy, costly repair, but John Campbell, Treasurer and Buildings Manager of the Chapel, said it could have been far worse:

"It happened without any warning.

"People were just starting to come through to the Schoolroom from the Chapel as usual after a service - some were sitting, and others getting their tea. 

"Someone just looked at a neighbour and said 'you've got a flake of plaster on your knee', and they looked up, and it was just detaching itself from the ceiling. 

"It came crashing down very close to people, and it could have been so much worse.

"We have all sorts of gatherings in there, so it could have been an absolute catastrophe - we're talking fatalities."

"Some fo the ceiling actually went through the floor, such was the force.

"It's like the Marie Celeste now - the chairs, tables, and teacups are exactly where people left them, as we daren't go in.

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"More could fall in at any time.

"However, we're just extremely thankful that it didn't cost somebody's life."

The Chapel now faces a costly project to repair the building, and John said that time is not on their side when it comes to raising the funds:

"There's not much the insurance company can do, and it's going to cost a lot of money to replace the roof.

 

"There are grants available from the heritage lottery fund, but we really can't wait four years - we are the heart of so much of this community of central Kendal, and so many charities and groups rely on us."

"People are very upset, so many people use the Schoolroom - yoga groups, FELLas choir, Bee Unique for autistic children, charities use it to raise funds, the Muslim community of Kendal uses it every Friday, the Buddhists and the Jewish community uses it.