Cockermouth's Old Courthouse at risk of further collapse

A cordon is in place outside the building after it collapsed early on Sunday

An historic building that partially fell into a river is at risk of further collapse, an architect has said.

The back of the Grade II-listed Old Courthouse in Cockermouth, which sits on the River Cocker, was damaged on Sunday at about 05:00 BST.

Architectural adviser Darren Ward said the collapse "appears to have put more strain" on the stable part of the site.

No one was hurt in the incident. Cocker Bridge has been closed as a precaution while assessments are carried out.

Cumberland Council said the river embankment has been fenced off in the potential 'drop zone' while survey work was under way.

People have been asked to avoid the area and follow any diversions in place.

The Environment Agency said although the collapse happened near the town's flood walls, they remained "intact" and the flood risk had not been heightened by events.

'Teetering'

Mr Ward, who works at Cockermouth Civic Trust, said, while the situation "had not got worse" since Sunday, "a lot of the structure was still teetering".

"It's just a matter of time before more of it falls down.

"Unfortunately, the collapse appears to have put strain on the more stable part of the building, so more of the building is now in danger of collapse," he explained.

The council said the bridge would reopen as soon as it was safe to do so.

The bridge over the River Cocker has been closed as a precaution

Karl Melville, from Cumberland Council, said the structure's roof was "a worry".

"The weather is good to us at the moment, but it has been suggested that later on in the week, the weather may well change.

"It's the roof structure that is causing us the concern right now for public safety," he added.

It follows comments on Sunday by Cockermouth's mayor, Julie Laidlow, who said there was a section of the roof that the "first high winds are going to take away".

The council is currently most concerned about the structure's roof

The town suffered serious flooding during Storm Desmond in 2015, which "overwhelmed" its defences.

In 2021, the same site was evacuated after heavy rain left its rear wall on the verge of collapse. It has not been used since.

The building, which is about 190 years old and was previously home to The Honest Lawyer restaurant, was sold at auction in 2022.

Mr Melville said the council had "worked with the building owner for several months and was aware of significant damage from previous flooding".

Mr Ward told BBC Radio Cumbria: "Because of the current economic environment and difficulties of the site, I cannot see any economic viability in its rescue.

"We could potentially end up with a very long-term pile of rubble sitting on the side of the river that is very prominent," he added.