News

It has emerged that last weekend's earthquake caused more than £300,000 worth of damage to five Churches, according to The Church of England Newspaper, which has said that the worst hit was St Peter’s in Folkestone whose south transept completely collapsed.

Rev Stephen Bould at St Peter’s said the quake shocked the small congregation celebrating early morning Eucharist at the time.

He said: “It sounded like the largest freight train you’ve ever heard approaching at 150 mph through a tunnel. The church itself did quite visibly move while dust and small pieces of rubble descended on the congregation,” according to the newspaper.

In the Folkestone area several vicarages belonging to St Peter’s, St Eanswythe and St Saviours suffered damage.

Ecclesiastical Insurance has told the Church of England that the cost is likely to exceed of £300,000. The company’s chief claims manager David Bonehill said: “This was the worst earthquake we’ve seen since 2002 and it caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and of course churches too. We’re working as quickly as possible to get life back to normal.”