It is business as usual at a Medway church after stones and rubble fell from the front of the building at the weekend.

Ragstones from the fasade of the Elim Pentecostal Church, in Delce Road, fell from the religious building during the early hours of Saturday morning

It is understood some bricks fell at about 4.30am after strong winds but later, at about 8.30am, more rubble fell into the road.

But the incident has not stopped the congregation meeting for its Sunday service, which went ahead as usual at 11am.

The front of the building can’t be accessed, but church members can still use the hall and enter the building by its other entrance in Gravel Walk.

Gill Erwin, lay representative at the church, said she’d received a text from a friend on Saturday which said the church had fallen down.

Mrs Erwin, added: “I was really worried and when I arrived I saw it.

“It looks like a scar, but this is a beautiful church and it is not closed. We are open for business as usual and the service on Sunday is going ahead.

“We’ve had so many offers of support, lots of the congregation came to see if they could help out.

“Other churches have also offered support and The Vines Church in Rochester said we could use their hall, but we don’t need to.

“We have been told the inside of the building is safe to use, we have three entrances, so everything is fine.

“It is God’s church and we have faith it will be restored back to the way it was.”

Neighbours said they didn’t realise the rubble had fallen until they saw the police cordon off the road.

One man who didn’t want to be named said: “We get a lot of noise from Star Hill and just thought it was a lorry rumbling down the road.

“The other side of the building was restored about four years ago, but not the side which fell.

“I’d heard a car went passed at the time of the collapse and narrowly missed being hit.

“It is lucky no one was injured.”

The police were called out to the road near its junction with Star Hill after the incident.

The church, which is Grade II listed, was built in 1856 and its fasade is made of flagstone.

Officers were sent to the scene and closed the road from the junction with King Street and Star Hill and the road is set to be closed for a week.

Motorists are being advised to find alterative routes and the 145 Warren Wood buses have had to be re-routed and will not be stopping on any part of Delce Road.

It will leave its normal route from Chatham, continue up City Way and turn down Onslow Road.

It will then continue on its normal route to the Warren Wood estate in Rochester and will use the same route on the way back.

A spokesman for police said: “Officers were called at 8.15am to a report that brick work had come away from a building in Delce Road near the junction with Star Hill.

“No injuries were been reported but officers closed the road due to an amount of brickwork that is in the road.

“The local authority was informed.”

A spokesman for Medway Council said: “A fence has been put up around the church and the road will remain closed for a week from King Street to Star Hill as a safety precaution.

“Church representatives were contacted and a fence has been put up around affected area of the church until its insurance company can do an assessment on Monday.

“Buses have also been re-directed.”

Mrs Erwin added: “Our insurers are coming out tomorrow and we will start a fundraising campaign to help out.

“We have already had an offer from an opera singer to sing at our concert in March and we will hold jumble sales too.

“If anyone would like to make a contribution the congregation and I would be very grateful, they can drop donations off to the church.

“I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason and God will make sure the church is returned to its former glory.”