A bird's eye view of the latest work to demolish Wigan's Galleries shopping centre

Anyone who thought that a few diggers and wrecking balls would have the Galleries flattened within days have sorely miscalculated.

As these exclusive images from reader Brian King show, there is still clearly a long way to go before the red brick hub is completely dismantled.

The pictures were taken from the Market Street side of the complex and show that demolition efforts are currently being concentrated there.

This is where the new indoor market will be built and should be completed first while demolition of the current market is left until last to ensure that traders can move straight from their old to their new homes.

It is all part of a £135m project to breathe new life into the town centre.

The complex is expected to include a multi-media centre comprising a six-screen, 700-seat cinema, multi-lane bowling alley, indoor mini-golf, a climbing wall and “wide range of other indoor leisure activities;” a public events space and a games arcade along with several bars and restaurants; 483 homes across seven new residential buildings; a 144-bedroom hotel; and a retirement living complex.

It is scheduled to be ready in 2025.