A Grade II-listed former church in Ancoats has been demolished after part of its roof collapsed, Manchester City Council has said.

The former Church of All Souls on Every Street dates back to 1840. Historic England says it was built between 1839 and 1840 by William Haley in the Romanesque style for Dr Samuel Warren.

A council spokesperson said its building control team was called to the site in August over public safety concerns after the partial collapse of the roof. A structural survey then confirmed the building was at risk of collapse and needed to be demolished for public safety under the Building Act, the council said, adding that its approach is "preservation first".

The church had not been used for religious or community purposes for four decades and had fallen into disrepair, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. It was added to Save Britain's Heritage's buildings at risk register in 2023, and was described as "the holy grail of redevelopment properties" when it was put up for auction in December 2024.

Save Britain's Heritage called the demolition a "shocking end for a building which has suffered years of deterioration and decay".

"We understand the building is being demolished due to public safety concerns, but the urgent condition of this beautiful church has been known for years," the campaign group said. "Earlier action should and could have been taken to secure a different future for this church, rather than leaving it to rot."

Historic England said it was "sorry to hear" of the loss of a building that was "an important part of Manchester's historic environment".

Sources: Manchester City Council; Historic England; Save Britain's Heritage; BBC News; Manchester Evening News. This article was produced with the help of AI tools and checked by an editor against the sources above.