Fear of a brick bell tower crushing worshippers if an earthquake should strike has ended services at a Wellington church.
The latest Christchurch earthquake was the “final straw” in deciding to close All Saints Church in Ngaio, Onslow Anglican parish vicar Archdeacon Monty Black said.
“People were looking at ways of how to get out of the building in the event of the earthquake, which was rather distracting them from worship.”
Engineers deemed the 1928 brick building, in particular the tower, a serious earthquake risk. The final Eucharist was celebrated on March 20.