CONCERNS have been raised after a window pane fell from a tall building into a busy shopping street, narrowly avoiding a pedestrian below.

The three-storey building – the ground floor of which houses Martin’s newsagents – is one of the oldest in Brigg.

Now, after a near miss for one of the town’s residents on market day, Brigg town councillor Ann Eardley is calling on those responsible to take urgent action to avoid similar incidents taking place in the future.

She said: “When I heard about it I was shocked – on a market day, when it’s already quite busy. It could have been a baby in a pram or someone in a wheelchair and we could have had a serious accident.

“It’s one of the busiest streets in the town, there are always a lot of people around, and we can’t risk something like that happening.

“There are that many weeds in the guttering and things hanging from the roof, it’s really dangerous and whoever is responsible needs to do something about it.”

The Wrawby Street building dates back to the early 19th century, and was formerly the home of Woolworth’s before the chain was forced to close.

Now, Mrs Eardley is seeking to find those responsible for the building and encourage them to carry out the necessary maintenance work – both for safety and aesthetic reasons.

She said: “I heard someone the other day giving a guided tour of Brigg, and he actually pointed out the roof of the building and described it as the “hanging gardens of Brigg”.

“People might laugh at that, but when, particularly as a town councillor, you’re working to bring people into the town and promote Brigg as a place to visit and invest in, it’s not the sort of thing you want to hear.”

P A Hutchinson Co, the accountants to the rear of the property, leases the first and second floors on a long-term basis, while Martin’s has residence on the ground floor for a shorter period of time.

A spokesman for the accountancy firm said following the window incident, all other windows had been checked and secured, and repairs were ongoing on the building.

Any work carried out is subject to North Lincolnshire Council approval, due to the building’s status as a Grade 2 Listed Building.

MORE ABOUT BRIGG… www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/Brigg

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