Work will start today to remove the spire following reports from council engineers saying it was an immediate danger to the public, particularly if there are storms or high winds.

Garry Nicol is the council’s service manager for building standards and safety. He said: “The structure is twisted and in poor condition. We’re taking urgent action to keep the public safe and work will start next week.”

The work will involve the emergency full closure of a section of Station Road and partial closure with traffic lights on Normand Road. The removal of the spire is expected to take 10-12 working days but progress will depend on the weather.

Garry Nicol added: “We understand the owner of the building has taken some steps to resolve this issue. However the urgency of the situation means that we’ve had to take immediate action to get this work done and keep the public safe.”