WHITEFIELD traders surrounded by rubble have been given an emergency hot-line number in case demolishers knock down more of the blitzed Elms Precinct.

Council officers are on stand-by amid concerns that bulldozers could target adjacent vacant properties on Bury New Road and the police have been contacted.

Safety work is being carried out by council contractors and a "phased" hand-over of the site back to the demolishers is planned.

The move comes after the Isle of Man-based owners - believed to be North Western Properties Ltd - sensationally demolished the unoccupied parts of the precinct.

The company has been warned to clean up the mess but are keeping tight lipped about its plans. However, in a recent letter to Bury Council it stated: "The rubbish created by the demolition work is being removed and the hard-core is remaining on site for later use."

Council leader Derek Boden confirmed legal action could also be taken against the "smash-and-grab" tactics on planning grounds.

He added: "We will be contacting North Western Properties to try and find out more about their intentions, I imagine this is what they want us to do as I presume they have some intention.

"We will also see what's the best way to get the demolition contractors to take over responsibility for the work. We do not know what is under the rubble and we do not want to be involved in shifting it."

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