A KEY town centre road could reopen within a matter of days after an unsafe building was demolished.

The owner of the former registry office in Abbey Road 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.

Jack Cooksey, who bought the building in January with the intention of converting it, will still need to obtain planning permission to complete the demolition and to redevelop the site.

After a partial collapse in May High Street at the rear was closed amid concerns for the safety of pedestrians and motorists.

Now the demolition is almost complete and the possibility of any collapse has been eradicated the site will be reassessed by building control inspectors at Barrow Borough Council who will advise Cumbria County Council's highways department if the road can be reopened.