Hungry seagulls blamed for Manchester Victoria station roof collapse

Hungry seagulls tempted by McDonalds are to blame for the damage caused to Manchester Victoria station's roof. Two passengers were injured after tiles from the structure collapsed in October.

After a four-month investigation Network Rail have confirmed the accident - when water flooded through the broken and buckling panel - was caused by seagulls pecking at it and weakening the structure. They have also admitted they should have repaired the roof sooner. Although staff knew about the faulty panel it was not reported effectively between Network Rail, responsible for the roof, and Northern, which manages the station.

Both operators say they have now ‘re-evaluated’ their communication channels when logging faults to ensure the incident is not repeated.