TWO buildings owned by a council will have to be demolished - before they fall down.

Officials are calling for Middlesbrough Borough Council leaders to take urgent action because of the "potentially dangerous'' condition of the properties.

The council has bought up eyesore properties in St Hilda's, Middlesbrough, over a number years, with the intention of knocking them down.

They include a former furniture warehouse and a closed refrigeration depot - the same two premises now causing officers concern.

The idea behind the purchases was to create better surroundings for local people by eventually bulldozing the derelict buildings and turning the site into a green, open space.

However, a report to the council's Cabinet says the warehouse and empty depot "are in an unsightly and dilapidated condition and are close to becoming dangerous.

"It is therefore proposed that the buildings be demolished as quickly as possible for public safety reasons."

The derelict warehouse is in Sussex Street, where the council has already been forced to use its legal powers to demolish a privately-owned building. It has charged the owner with the cost of the demolition work.