A pensioner was killed while 55 other people were injured when an aging wooden balcony collapsed during mass in the Philippines.

Religious locals were marking the start of Lent with the Ash Wednesday church service when the 30-year-old structure plunged onto the aisle below at the St. Peter the Apostle Parish Church in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on February 14 morning.

Dramatic footage shows the moment the balcony collapsed while people were lining up to take communion.

Other clips showed several churchgoers staggering out of the rubble while others were trying to help those buried under the debris amid panicked screams.

In photos shared by the city's public information office, a section of the wooden platform was seen dangling from the church's second floor.

Choir member Luneta Morales, 80, suffered chest injuries and died of cardiac arrest at the hospital, disaster officials in the city some 20 miles north of the capital Manila said.

City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head Gina Ayson said: 'Based on our assessment, the collapse happened because of the church's age and because it was made of wood.

'The volume of churchgoers doubled because it was Ash Wednesday. The balcony couldn't hold all of them.'

She added around 400 people were hearing mass at the time.

The 55 injured - most of whom were elderly - were taken to hospitals for light injuries. Many of them have been sent home after treatment.

San Jose Del Monte's Office of the City Building Official and City Engineering Office conducted a damage assessment and found that termites had eaten through the damaged mezzanine.

Mayor Arthur Robes said: 'The part of the church that collapsed was built 30 years ago, and we didn't expect that area to be made of wood. What we found was that it was full of termites.

'We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. It's the first time we've experienced something like this, and it even happened inside a church.'

The church has been ordered closed, while the local government said it will be compensating the injured churchgoers for medical expenses.

The incident occurred while residents in the predominantly Catholic country were marking the first day of the Lenten season.