‘We have been living next door to the fire station for the last ten years. We give the fire crews Christmas presents’
05:54, 05 Aug 2025Updated 07:26, 05 Aug 2025
The property on Liverpool Road, Eccles(Image: Manchester Evening News)
An investigation has been launched after firefighters allegedly broke into the house next door to their station after a stranger told them she lived there.
The owner told the M.E.N. he first realised something was amiss after returning from a shopping trip with his wife at around 4pm on July 19.
The hall light at his property on Liverpool Road, Eccles, had been left on, and cardboard boxes had been ‘strewn across the floor’. It later transpired the back door has been ‘drilled’ and then forced open.
But after complaining, Eccles Community Fire Station’s next-door neighbour claims he then received a visit from a senior officer asking him to drop his case.
And when he refused, the house owner, who asked not to be named, alleges he was told he would no longer be allowed to park his car on land next to the fire station.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has now told the Manchester Evening News it is now investigating the break-in and the complaint alleging the “threatening” visit from a senior officer.
Eccles Community Fire Station (Image: Manchester Evening News)
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Sources at GMFRS say “a concern for welfare” prompted officers to force their way into the property after a woman called in at the station claiming to live next door – and urgently needed to gain access.
It has now been revealed she did not live there.
The homeowner told the M.E.N.: “On July 19, my wife and I went out shopping. We came back about 4pm and the first thing we noticed was that the hall light was on.
“Then we noticed some empty cardboard boxes which had been behind the kitchen door were all over the floor. My baseball cap was on the boxes too.
“I said to my wife, someone has broken into the house. Lights were on upstairs as well. The front door was okay so I knew someone had come in through the back door.
“I checked and the lock on my back door had been drilled to get in. A new barrel had been fitted in the door with a brand new lock.
“We were convinced the house had been broken into and straight away I called the police. About three minutes later the police called back and said you need to go and speak to the fire brigade.
“I said ‘why’. I never thought for one minute the fire service could do that.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“I thought maybe the fire service staff had witnessed something and had information for us. I spoke to an officer at Eccles station next door and he said they had a female member of the public come to them.”
According to the home owner, he was told the woman claimed she lived in a bedroom on the bottom floor of the property. Officers on duty regarded the incident as an emergency, and then investigated.
He added: “But there was no emergency in my view – no fire, no risk to life, no one was trapped.
“I said I don’t wish to sound rude but that is a police matter not something for the fire brigade. He said they had got in touch with senior management and been given permission to get into the property.
“He said they went to my property with the lady and the key she had would not fit the front door.”
Eccles Community Fire Station and the house next door . Liverpool Rd , Eccles . 4 August 2025(Image: Manchester Evening News)
He said the fire officer then explained they walked up an alleyway behind the property, put a wheelie bin up against the wall of his back garden, dropped into his yard, and drilled the lock of his backdoor.
He added: “This woman, whoever she was, does not live in my property, just my wife and I live there. I am not sure why they broke into my house. They said they wanted to go into the house to see if there was anything strange.
“I said I was very unhappy and was going to make an official complaint.”
He claims on July 25, a senior officer, in uniform, then called at his home at 10.30am and asked whether he would drop the complaint – which the homeowner refused to do.
He added: “We have been living here for the last ten years. I park my vehicle on land next to the fire station and we have never had any issues or problems. We give the fire crews Christmas presents.”
He has now been contacted by a fire service investigating officer who intends to take statements from him and his wife.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “We can confirm that we dealt with a concern for welfare incident at Eccles fire station and a neighbouring property on Liverpool Road at around 1pm on Saturday 19 July.
“Two complaints have subsequently been received. These are being investigated in line with our complaints procedure by a member of our professional standards team.
“As with all matters of alleged misconduct and other complaints, we will thoroughly and robustly investigate. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”