Eleven Manchester high-rise blocks fail fire safety tests

Eleven more high-rise buildings in Manchester have failed fire tests following the Grenfell Tower disaster.

A total of 16 properties owned by housing association One Manchester will have cladding removed following tests prompted by the fatal London fire.

The city council in Salford has also confirmed nine blocks in Pendleton have failed safety tests.

The council opted to remove cladding on Friday before the test results were known.

Dave Power, group chief executive at One Manchester said: "We will act on the advice of the fire service to ensure that all necessary safety measures are in place to avoid the need for homes to be evacuated for any period."

'Right call'

In Manchester, the Village 135 development in Wythenshawe also failed the government tests last week.

In Salford, three high-rise buildings failed and work has already begun to remove cladding from nine tower blocks in Pendleton over safety concerns.

City Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett said the Pendleton test results vindicated the council's decision to start removing the cladding.

"We decided not to wait around and now the test results have come back it has just confirmed that this was definitely the right call to make," he said.

The Grenfell Tower fire in north Kensington on 14 June started in a fridge-freezer and outside cladding and insulation failed safety tests, police have said.

One Manchester said the type of cladding used on its flats is Alucobond, which is non combustible, differs from that used on Grenfell - Reynobond PE - because it uses a mineral rock wool insulation.

The latest One Manchester blocks affected are:

• Abbey Court, Gorton

• Cornwall Court, Gorton

• Cundiff Court, Levenshulme

• Bickerdike Court, Longsight

• Thomas Court, Hulme

• Ledburn Court, Hulme

• Royce Court, Hulme

• Hornchurch Court, Hulme

• Hulme Court, Hulme

• Hopton Court, Hulme

• Meredith Court, Hulme