MINDLESS yobs have broken into a former “prestigious” hotel and vandalised it.

Egerton House Hotel has been closed for six years and plans were approved last year for it to become a care home offering fine dining along with a hair salon and nail bar.

The Blackburn Road site had been boarded up ahead of work to partially demolish the former hotel before building the 64-bedroom care home.

But vandals have targeted the site, ripping boards away from the lounge of the main building as well as from the neighbouring gate house property.

Jill Jordan, from Egerton, who has lived opposite the building for 10 years, spotted the damage when she went for a walk with her daughter on Thursday evening.

She said: “It’s disgusting how it’s been left – it’s just been trashed.

“Somebody prised open the boarding from a window of the hotel and you can see right into the lounge.

“I could see into the gate house as well as boarding had been prised open from a window.

“Tree branches were snapped there too.

“People have been saying it is really sad.

“It was a really prestigious and popular hotel when it was open, it was absolutely beautiful.

“I got married 25 years ago and when we checked at Egerton House the waiting list was massive so we couldn’t have our wedding there.”

Jill captured pictures of the vandalism of the former hotel and shared them on social media, which provoked comments from people who expressed their anger and sadness.

Some who vented their feelings got married at the venue years ago.

Meanwhile, the plans approved in June 2019 are part of a joint venture between McDonald Hotels, which owns the building, and McGoff Group’s New Care brand.

McGoff Construction will build the facility and New Care will operate the care home.

If you have any information about the vandalism contact police on 101.

Alternatively call the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.