Former Hatfield Colliery security costing £145,000 a year

Hatfield colliery was closed in June 2015 after almost a century of production

Efforts to keep trespassers out of a former mine are costing a council almost £145,000 a year.

Doncaster Council is paying £120,000 to employ private security and £25,000 for "ongoing repairs and maintenance costs" at Hatfield Colliery, documents show.

The report says the authority is concerned about "trespassers, opportunist thieves, adrenaline junkies or closure tourists".

It also fears the "reputational damage" an incident at the site may cause.

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Hatfield Colliery closed after almost a century of production in June 2015 with the loss of 430 jobs.

The security costs are being paid for from council reserves, despite the authority not owning the site, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Risky site'

The report said dilapidated buildings and headstocks pose an "immediate health and safety risk" and are "attractive to trespassers who have been known to climb similar structures".

Gillian Fairbrother, assistant director of trading services, said: "The Hatfield Colliery site is not owned by Doncaster Council.

"If the council does not take action however, the site will be left without sufficient safety measures in place to prevent access to the remaining buildings and headstocks by the general public.

"The council would be unlikely to be legally liable for any accident which took place on site but would be likely to suffer reputational damage and adverse publicity should there be any."

Scott Fawcus, the council's assistant director of legal and democratic services, said the health and safety position at Hatfield Colliery is "complex" and had been the subject of "detailed legal advice".

"Whilst the council don't have legal responsibility for health and safety at the site, as a responsible council, it cannot simply close its eyes and allow a risky site to be open to the public, thus there is a need to continue with the current security arrangements," he said.