A WORKINGTON councillor has sounded a warning to parents after a disused building in the town was set alight twice in a week.

Peter Bales, ward councillor for Moorclose in Workington, has urged parents to ensure their children stay away from the old changing rooms, located by the site of the former leisure centre, after vandals set the single story building on fire last Thursday and Friday.

Following countless vandalism attacks over the years, the Labour councillor also called for the vacant 50-year-old building to be razed to the ground.

Mr Bales told the News & Star: "I've lost count of how many times the building has been vandalised.

"It has been stripped of all its facilities, including lead, and poses a huge risk to the health of anyone who dares to set foot inside of it.

"With half term this week, and many school pupils spending their time outside, I would warn all parents to tell their children to keep away from this dangerous building.

"The sooner it comes down the better, it is just an eyesore in the town now.

"The changing rooms were previously used for the nearby football pitches many years ago, and after they closed, there were talks for the community centre to take it over.

"However, given it is now beyond repair, this is no longer the case.

He added: "I will make enquiries this week with Allerdale Borough Council, who are responsible for the building, to see when this will be demolished."

It was built at the same time as the now-demolished leisure centre, which was flattened last year after a new £11.3m sports centre opened across town on Griffin Street in September 2016.

Within the last week, fire crews from Workington and Maryport have spent nearly four hours at the site, dealing with two blazes.

The crews were first called out on Thursday afternoon just after 4.45pm to the site, spending around one hour and 40 minutes to put it out.

On Friday night, two engines were called out again to the old changing rooms shortly after 9.45pm to tackle another fire.

The teams spent around two hours and ten minutes on the scene, using one thermal imaging camera, two hose reels and four breathing apparatus, to extinguish the blaze.