CALLS to demolish a cluster of historical buildings in Deeside are gathering support amid fears there could be a major fire at the site.

More than £30,000 has been spent since June to keep vandals and drug users away from the former headquarters of the John Summers Steelworks in Garden City.

The five-storey listed building has been hit with graffiti and littered with used condoms and drugs paraphernalia, and now there are worries over a petrol explosion.

Sealand councillor Christine Jones said the only way to deter yobs was to bulldoze the surrounding buildings.

But MP for Alyn and Deeside Mark Tami believes that the site should be protected.

A disused petrol filling station on the site is the latest target for yobs who have been digging underground to gain access to fuel.

Cllr Jones told the Leader: “They are the most beautiful buildings but I don’t think that Mr Tami quite appreciates the danger of this site.

“These people are going on the land and making camp fires. If that petrol station goes up there is going to be a massive fire. They are also playing lookout in the clock tower which is a big drop if you fall.

“To make matters worse, the landowners have closed off the access road so we can’t get emergency vehicles out there.

“If someone is seriously hurt then there is no way we can get to them.”

Landowners Pochin Goodman paid £5m for the 200 acres of surplus Corus land in June but have yet to develop it.

Agents Legat Owen have forked out £35,000 in two months to secure the site, including boarding up windows and installing palisade fencing.

Now they have given Corus permission to decommission the pipes.

Director Susan Haslam said: “Work to deal with the old petrol tanks started on Thursday and should be completed this week.

“We have blocked the access road from Welsh Road in Garden City but emergency crews are aware of how to open the gate if they need to.”