Work to knock down a well-known Blackburn town centre building came to a halt on Thursday afternoon when a digger involved in the demolition became stuck in the rubble and toppled over.

It was part of the team working to demolish the former Thwaites visitor centre in Penny Street, located next to the site of the firm's old Star Brewery off Barbara Castle Way.

Passers-by were shocked to see the digger stuck in the rubble as the building, now owned by the Issa brothers' Monte Blackburn Ltd property arm, finally came down.

One shopper said: “Looks like it got into a bit of trouble in the rubble. Hope whoever was in that is okay.

“I remember this building but if it was not being put to any use it may as well be knocked down.

“Hopefully it will be the start of some new buildings taking over here.”

The Lancashire Telegraph understands that the digger was freed from the rubble on Thursday night and remarkably was undamaged.

No-one was hurt in the incident and the demolition process is back underway and going to plan on Friday.

One source said: "I think it looked worse than it was."

The visitor centre building was last the temporary home for Blackburn's Bureau Centre for the Arts for five years.

It was located there after being moved after the devastating fire at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in April 2019.

But now it has moved to a permanent new home, into the former Lewis Textile Museum in Exchange Street, next to Blackburn Town Hall.

Earlier this year, Monte Blackburn Ltd applied to Blackburn with Darwen Council for prior approval for the 'proposed demolition of the C-shaped art centre building with hardstanding around the building and pathways'.

The application form says the reason for knocking down the building, which it owns, is "to avoid the site attracting anti-social behaviour".

The firm has yet to reveal what it proposes to do with the site.

Monte Blackburn Ltd and Blackburn with Darwen Council declined to comment on the incident.

Thwaites have been approached for comment.

The former visitor centre is on the edge of the cleared Thwaites brewery site which is being redeveloped as part of Blackburn with Darwen Council's £250million 10-year masterplan for Blackburn town centre unveiled in December 2021.