Bolton: Large emergency service response as youths climb pub roof

Police, ambulance and fire crews attended Breightmet Fold Lane, near the Withins Pub to attend an incident that has since been described as a “waste of resources.”

Passersby alerted police earlier this afternoon after a group of young people were seen on the top of a derelict pub.

Emergency services in Breightmet (Image: public)

Watch Manager Carl Gleaves, from Bolton North Fire Station, described the incident as a waste of resourcesand warned of the dangers of climbing on disused buildings.

He said: “I want to convey the dangers of climbing on disused derelict properties and how fire service, ambulance and police time and resources have been wasted.

“Police contacted us after they had reports from passers-by that youths were on the roof of a derelict pub.

“Three fire appliances and a technical rescue unit went to the scene with a turntable ladder and we were detained for an hour and a half.

Emergency services in Breightmet (Image: public)

“We travelled a long distance on blue lights to effectively a false alarm and then had to do a thorough investigation of the property involved.

Read more: Recap as Large police and fire presence in Breightmet

“Fire Service resources have been used for an hour and a half. In particular, specialist Fire Service resources.

“Reports did say that there were youths on the roof, and they obviously were at one point but it was never conveyed to us if they ever left so we needed those resources to be sure they weren’t in or around the building injured, harmed or otherwise."