THE majority of an unsafe building in Barrow town centre has been demolished.

Owner Jack Cooksey was given special permission to demolish the 'minimum amount' of the former registry office building in the interests of public safety after engineers deemed it was at risk of collapse.

The move followed a site meeting between Barrow Borough Council's building control manager Kevan Morrison and the authority's structural engineer contractor Adam Roberts from RG Parkins.

Jason Hipkiss, the council's planning manager, said: "We agreed on site to allow the minimum amount to be demolished to make the building safe.

"We have to consider public safety first and foremost."

Mr Cooksey will still need to obtain planning permission to complete the demolition and to redevelop the site.