Bell Hotel in Leigh collapses a day before the start of demolition work

Workmen have been renovating the long-empty landmark and replacing it with flats but earlier this week, the roof caved in.

Demolition work was due to start tomorrow but there has been more movement and more of the building has collapsed.

Southend Council said its building control officers on the scene have judged the structure to be unsafe and are preparing to demolish it.

Spokesman Michael Sargood said: "Due to the futher collapse of the building building control officers are advising the demolition as soon as possible. It could happen overnight."

Pic by Norman Hibbert, taken seconds after it collapsed

Workmen arrive to assess the remainder of building

The Bell Hotel just minutes after it collapsed. Pic: David White

A resident described the sound of the roof collapsing as "like a bomb going off" while workmen were seen rushing out of the crumbling structure.

Officials from Southend Council visited the site to assess the safety following the collapse on Tuesday afternoon.

The roof of the Bell Hotel has caved in even further. Pic: David White

Before the collapse, workmen had been renovating the hotel and constructing three blocks at Bell Sands, with five apartments available for between £249,995 and £899,995.

The redevelopment finally got under way after nine years of planning issues for developers Robin Levy and son Ben and work begun in October 2014.

The hotel was planned to form one part of the multi-million pound Bell Sands flats development – just a stone’s throw from Leigh’s historic Old Town.

The plan included three four-storey blocks to be built behind it, on the edge of the railway line, in a pastel beach hut style, with each named after one of Old Leigh’s four wharfs.

The entire development was expected to be completed by December 2015.

It was supposed to offer large luxurious flats with views of the Thames Estuary and the beach at Bell Wharf.