‘It is a miracle that there have been no reported injuries caused by the massive fire which has been tearing through Saddleworth moorland in Greater Manchester’, said Rev Chris Viney from St James Millbrook. ‘We could see the fire coming down the hillside, towards the top end of the village. It must have been very, very scary for the people who live in the houses near to where the fire was.’ He believes God has been protecting his community, even though dozens of people needed to be evacuated from their homes. (They have now returned home). The associate minister said that the church gathered together to pray through the night. ‘God was at work because it could have been so much worse than it was.’ Sleeping bags, roll mats, food and drink are stockpiled at the church in the event displaced families or emergency service members need them.