Mansion break-ins costing thousands, says council

Torbay Council said entering Oldway Mansion was "illegal and extremely dangerous"

Damage caused by a series of break-ins at a historic building will cost thousands of pounds to fix, according to a council.

Torbay Council said trespassers broke into Oldway Mansion in Paignton and caused damage which placed "further strain on an already stretched restoration budget".

The council said visitors were still welcome to visit the grounds of the site but it asked them to respect the site boundaries and support efforts to preserve the building.

In September Devon and Cornwall Police urged "urban explorers" to keep clear of the site and described the behaviour of the intruders as "nothing more than vandalism".

It said access to the building remained strictly prohibited for health and safety reasons.

Torbay Council said: "Breaching the security hoarding or attempting to enter the premises is both illegal and extremely dangerous."

It said the first phase of the restoration would begin this week on the old Banqueting Hall's West Tower.

Historical artefacts have been removed and placed in secure storage or boarded up to protect them during work.

'Complex project'

The project received £8m in UK government funding and an additional £1m from the council but the full budget was still to be confirmed.

Restoration works were expected to span several years before completion.

Chris Lewis, deputy leader and cabinet member for place development and economic growth at the council, said: "This phase of restoration at Oldway Mansion is one of the most complex projects within Torbay's capital programme, and every effort is being made to ensure its long-term preservation."