A last-minute change of mind could have saved the life of Barbara Yates.

She was stood at the spot where seconds later a huge section of a church came away bringing bricks and rubble crashing to the ground.

Mrs Yates had walked from her home in Rochester last Saturday to catch the 145 bus to Chatham.

When she arrived at the bus stop outside the Elim Pentecostal Church, in Delce Road, she realised she had missed one bus, so decided to walk a short distance to the other stop on Star Hill and hop on a bus to Gravesend instead.

She heard a loud noise and looked around to see rubble falling into the street.

Mrs Yates, 68, said: “As I walked away with my trolley I heard what sounded like a bomb going off and then I realised I was walking through dust.

“I turned around and saw the rubble had fallen to the ground.”

It is understood some bricks came away at about 4.30am, when the building was hit by strong winds but later, at about 8.30am, when Mrs Yates was there, more fell.

The road was immediately closed by police and Medway Council set up a fence around the front of the church, which was built in 1856.

Buses had to be redirected and the road has been closed since.

Mrs Yates, who lives in nearby Hoopers Road, said: “I also heard screeching at the same time and turned to see a car braking sharply outside the church and it was covered in dust.

“I was not injured but I felt hot and had dust in my mouth and I asked the young man driving if he was OK.

“He said he was fine and I then carried on to the bus stop to get my bus.

“It wasn’t until later did I realise what a lucky escape I’d had. If I had not made the decision to get on the other bus and go to Gravesend, I might not be here today. I was uninjured but very shook up afterwards and I was coughing all afternoon because the dust had got down my throat.”

The incident did not stop the congregation gathering for their usual Sunday service, which went ahead as usual at 11am.

The front of the building remains inaccessible but church members can use the hall and enter the building by its another entrance in Gravel Walk.

Gill Erwin, lay representative at the church, received a text from a friend on Saturday which said the church had fallen down and has received many messages of support since.

Neighbours slept through the collapse and the first they knew was when they saw the police cordon.

The road was closed from the junction with King Street and Star Hill and Medway Council said the road was now expected to be closed until at least next week when repairs can be started.

Drivers are being diverted up Star Hill and along The Cut, and the 145 Warren Wood buses have had to be rerouted and will not be stopping on any part of Delce Road.

Mrs Erwin said on Wednesday the church had scaffolding around it and the insurance company had been along to do an assessment. Contractors will start working on its restoration next week.

She said: “The insurance company is covering the cost of the repairs and we have to do it quickly because it is a main road. Work is due to start next week.”

The church is still fundraising for other restoration projects at the site, if you can help out with a donation, then pop along to the church to drop it off.