The decision to sell off the Millennium Dome's contents before a new owner is found has been branded "madness" by Michael Heseltine.

The former Conservative deputy prime minister said the sale will weaken the prospects of another offer being made if the bid by the Legacy consortium collapses.

Legacy has offered �125m to buy the Greenwich attraction, which closed after 31 December, and convert it into a business park.

But Dome Minister Lord Falconer said the move would not prejudice any alternative scheme's chances, should the Legacy deal fall through.

They should stop dismantling it now until we know that we have a genuine deal

Michael Heseltine

That prospect was played down by Legacy itself, which released a statement saying it expected contracts to be signed in February.

Shadow minister for London Bernard Jenkin called for the bidding process to be re-opened and said the sale of assets would wreck the prospects of other bidders.

He said: "Prescott has a clear duty to re-open the bidding now. There are many organisations showing an interest in bidding but Prescott is locking them out for political reasons."

Mr Heseltine, one of the driving forces behind the Dome, said its interior should be kept until it was certain that it would not be reopened as a visitor attraction.

"It seems to me crazy when you haven't got a binding contract to start prejudicing your position in the event of that contract not being signed," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Alternative scheme

He said the contents of the 12 themed zones and the 2,000-seat stadium would be vital to an alternative scheme, fronted by Dome chief executive Pierre-Yves Gerbeau.

Mr Gerbeau has proposed keeping the Dome open as a theme park by day and using it as a concert venue in the evenings.

Mr Heseltine went on: "The government is weakening the option of someone else coming in, in the event of the Legacy bid failing, if they sell off all the internal assets."

Michael Heseltine was one of the driving forces behind the attraction

"They should stop dismantling it now until we know that we have a genuine deal."

Norman Baker, Liberal Democrat Dome spokesman, also called for the contents to remain in place until the Legacy deal was signed.

On Tuesday, workmen were already starting to strip contents such as turnstiles, hi-tech lighting and sound equipment, for an auction which organisers hope will raise �50m.

But Minister for the Dome Lord Falconer said the dismantling scheduled up to 14 February - the deadline for Legacy to exchange contracts - is to remove rented equipment so further charges are not made.

A spokesman for the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) said everything not owned by the Dome operator, such as the Journey and Art zones, artwork and sculptures, was being removed.

The rest of the interior that Legacy does not want will be gutted in a second stage of removals between April and June.

But the spokesman stressed: "We won't start the second stage until the contract has been signed with Legacy."

Legacy 'confident'

In a statement Legacy insisted its status as preferred bidder for the Dome had not changed and final negotiations were advancing according to plan.

"Whilst there remains work to be done, Legacy plc expects that a satisfactory conclusion will be reached during February at which point contracts will be signed," the company said.

Meanwhile, London mayor Ken Livingstone has warned he could use his powers to block a housing development next to the Dome if it does not include at least 25% "social housing".

He wants homes at the site to be provided for lower-paid workers, especially nurses, teachers and police officers.