Greater Manchester Police have announced that a 14-year-old boy from Whitefield has been charged with burglary following fire before Christmas at Prestwich Methodist Church.

Police enquiries established that the building had been broken into shortly before the blaze took hold, and a number of items were stolen from inside. The fire caused significant damage to the building, which only recently celebrated its 90th anniversary, but is now expected to require expensive repairs.

He will appear at Manchester and Salford Youth Court on January 21, 2019.