Shropshire church leaders threaten legal action over dangerous collapsed wall

Leaders of a church in Shropshire are preparing to take legal action against the town council amid claims delays to repair the Ludlow Town Walls could be putting the historic church at risk, Lewis Warner reports.

Campaigners say inaction by Ludlow Town Council over rebuilding a section of the walls which collapsed 12 years ago is now risking the stability of St Laurence's Church.

The church have threatened to take legal action against the council if it does not start to work together to get the wall repaired.

Robert Owen from St Laurence's Church said: "To this day the town council who are responsible for the maintenance of this wall have made no progress in getting the repairs done.

"The church has now run out of patience with this situation, we are seriously concerned about the effects of the collapsed wall on the stability of the church itself."

Ludlow Town Council accepted responsibility for the collapse of ten-metre a section of the wall in 2013.

However, it still has not made public a crucial a crucial structural report on the wall.

Darren Childs, from Ludlow Residents Group, said: "It's unbelievable that it hasn't been released over the last 12 years.

"The report was completed in 2021 and since then the council have held it and refused to share it with anyone else."

Ludlow Town Council has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded. It has previously said that the Town Walls Trust should be the body to look into cost-effective repair solutions.

Colin Richards, Ludlow Town Walls Trust, said: "I think with legal action, it costs a lot of money and in some respects it's a negative process.

"What we need is people to come and sit down round a table and engage with each other, because that's the only way it's going to be resolved."

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