Inside 'eyesore' hotel full of asbestos

Pictures taken inside an "eyesore" hotel show the extent of damage caused by anti-social behaviour and flooding.

The demolition of Thornaby's Golden Eagle has been delayed until autumn 2026 after criminal damage, arson and vandalism caused "significant levels of asbestos" to spread, Stockton Borough Council said.

Images, released by the local authority, show a number of wires hanging from ceilings, floors littered with broken furniture, and charring from an arson attack visible on the walls.

Labour councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration and housing, said "it is a toxic building" and vandals have caused "more asbestos to be taken into the air".

Council leaders are warning people not to go inside the former hotel on Trenchard Avenue and that only specialists, wearing protective gear including hazmat suits, are allowed in.

Eglington, who previously described the seven-storey building as being "an eyesore for a number of years and a barrier for future investment", said he was angry but also worried about the break-ins.

"Hopefully the asbestos hasn't affected them. But the effects of it may not be known for a number of years," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said vandals risked exposing themselves to lethal fibres which could lead to mesothelioma, a type of cancer, in the future.

He said: "The vandals who have caused this additional criminal damage and added to the cost and time for the works should be ashamed of themselves.

"Good people are working hard to bring about positive change to Thornaby but these fools are simply hell-bent on wrecking things."

Eglington said there was "no danger to people outside the building" as the area was "being constantly monitored."

"No-one who isn't trained is allowed in the building due to its danger level.

"We couldn't safely send staff in to check the damage, we had to wait for the pictures."

He said contractors at MGL Demolition were "devastated" to find the state of the building when it was handed over to them in August.

The hotel, which has been derelict for many years, will now take 62 weeks to knock down, rather than 36, and cost a further £600,000 on top of a projected cost of £1.52m, council officers said.

Everything inside will be treated as contaminated, with contents double-bagged and disposed of "in a safe manner," Eglington said.

Councillor Sylvia Walmsley, a Town Deal Board member and leader of the Thornaby Independent Association on the council, said the building "will come down whatever it takes".

"Most of all the public and surrounding businesses will be fully protected - we will never compromise on safety," she said.

"This setback will be overcome and a blot on the landscape removed from our proud town."

Demolition works are part of plans paid for by the Labour-led council's £23.9m town improvement fund.

The extra money is expected to come from £735,000 underspends in cycleways and housing improvements in other Thornaby Town Deal schemes.

Follow BBC Tees on X,Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.