Dangerous building about to collapse shuts Wigan road

Wigan Council was forced to take the drastic decision to completely close Bridge Street in Hindley on Monday.

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A former shop was thought to be in such a hazardous state that motorists and pedestrians had to be stopped as soon as possible from going past it.

Both the road and the footpath were shut after the evening rush hour.

Building inspectors visited on Monday and demolition was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, with work expected to take a couple of days.

The town hall is urging drivers to avoid the area completely and find alternative routes.

A diversion has been in place for those needing to visit the centre of Hindley but the local authority hopes motorists will keep well clear to minimise congestion.

Bus services are also being diverted, with the 540 service now going via Borsdane Avenue on to Atherton Road.

The closure is a major headache for drivers and council workers as Bridge Street is a much-used route connecting Hindley to Westhoughton and the M61.

The owner of the building has previously been served notices to make the tottering structure safe.

The council is now looking into whether it can recoup the demolition costs.