WORK to make the former Radcliffe Times building safe after its roof collapsed, is hoped to be completed by Thursday morning.

Church Street West in Radcliffe, could be reopened on Thursday morning following a further two days of safety work on the building.

The road has been closed to protect the public after parts of the roof and masonry fell down last week during bad weather.

Contractors for the building's owners will be extending the scaffolding, already constructed along the front wall, to wrap around each of the gable walls to provide support to the main front elevation.

They will also be providing internal propping to the front section of each of the floors, down to the basement, in order to support the damaged roof. Work has already started positioning the first of the 40 necessary props.

This work is expected to take a further two days and, if all goes to plan, it should be possible to re-open Church Street West, first thing on Thursday morning.