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Police investigate church fire that damaged altar

Google Front entrance of St Bernard's Roman Catholic Church, Burnage, ManchesterGoogle
Masses currently cannot be celebrated in the church due to damage from the fire

Police are investigating the cause of a fire which broke out at a church, causing services to be moved to another venue.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Combined Authority said firefighters were called to St Bernard's Roman Catholic Church in Burnage, Manchester, at about 09:20 GMT.

Three engines dealt with the fire, which damaged an altar and led to Mass being celebrated in the parish hall.

Greater Manchester Police is leading the investigation into the cause.

Fire crews remained at the scene into the afternoon.

A post on the parish's Facebook page appealed for help.

It read: "We have had a terrible fire in St Bernard’s church and we want to get it ready for Remembrance Sunday - we are pleading for help.

"Please come and help us clean the church at 10am tomorrow (Friday 8th November).

"Mass tomorrow and Saturday will be in the parish hall."

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