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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jonathan Humphries & Tim Hanlon

Inside spooky dilapidated church that has been left abandoned for over 30 years

An urban explorer has taken some eerie photos of a dilapidated and abandoned Welsh Presbyterian Church in Toxteth, Liverpool.

The Grade II listed building in Princes Road has stood empty for more than 30 years, and the pictures show that it is falling apart with vegetation now growing inside, reported the Liverpool Echo.

It is hard to imagine now that it would once have packed congregations and the church would be the centre of a local community.

There was work done in 2019 to stabilise the building and money was allocated by the National Lottery to help restore it to its former glory - but that was before the pandemic hit.

The photos were taken by urban explorer Steven Kay, a warehouse operative from Wigan, who runs the Youtube channel OMG Explorers where he shares videos from inside abandoned or dilapidated spaces.

The Welsh Presbyterian Church in Toxteth has stood empty for more than 30 years (OMG Exploring)

Steven says urban exploring is a hobby which helps him with his mental health, while he keeps to strict rules.

He said: "Never damage anything, never steal, never leave a trace or evidence behind.

"I was driving past the Welsh Presbyterian Church and I thought 'yeah why not, I will see if I can find a way in'. We found a panel with enough space for us to get inside.

"It was very deteriorated and very damaged. I won't say it's the worst I have seen but its one of the most deteriorated.

It is hard to imagine that there would once have been packed congregations inside (OMG Exploring)

"It's a shame that it has been allowed to get like this, but I do understand to a point because its funding.

"But this is one of the reasons I'm glad we have done it, it is documenting what's inside in case it collapsed or gets pulled down."

In July 2019, the building's owners, Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust, were awarded a preliminary grant of £260,000 to drawn up detailed design plans, reported the Liverpool Echo.

The grant fuelled hopes that a follow-up cash injection of £2.5m could lead to a revamp of the former Sunday school and presbytery, along with the rest of the structure, and allow Liverpool charity KIND - Kids in Need and Distress - to move into the revitalised site.

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