Officials from The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead said they could not believe that Cresset Towers, in Maidenhead High Street, had been allowed to fall into "such a state of disrepair".

Councillor Vicky Howes said: "This building is in a central, high profile position and it has been a blot on the landscape for far too long."

If something was not done the council said it "would have to investigate all options within its powers".

"Our aim is to see Cresset Towers repaired, refurbished and open for business as a new shop.

"It has tremendous potential to be an attractive feature in the town centre and we can't wait indefinitely for the owners to get cracking," said Ms Howes.