COUNCIL chiefs have hit back at claims that Clitheroe Castle (pictured) is in urgent need of restoration work.

Ribble Valley Council senior surveyor Rod Pearce said the building had been inspected by English Heritage and that, although it was on the at-risk register, no serious work needed to be done

He was responding to claims in a national newspaper that the castle was one of four in England in urgent need of restoration.

The newspaper claimed that the 12th-century building desperately needed roof repairs despite restoration over the past few years and called for renovation and repairs to keep castles from becoming "romantic ruins". It named Clitheroe alongside Harewood Castle in Leeds, Saltwood Castle in Kent and Richards Castle in Hereford.

Mr Pearce said that repairs were needed to its roof as well as minor renovation to the museum and heritage centre.

In May 1998 the castle, a grade one listed building owned by the local authority, was criticised by English Heritage for having cracks in its structure. A renovation package was prepared and submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund, but it was not deemed to be a priority and did not receive a grant.

English Heritage said the castle's roof was open to the elements and despite restoration works in recent years, its condition was described only as "fair".

The castle has fallen prey to vandals regularly in the last three years and the value of the damage runs into thousands of pounds - a setback to restoration. Wreckers have destroyed wooden benches, broken lights, dug up the bowling green and smashed dozens of beer bottles.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.