EMERGENCY demolition work brought chaos to commuters as engineers battled to stop debris flying down onto the roads and pavement below.

A derelict row of terraced houses on the Farnworth and Kearsley border were demolished last night to stop them being blown down into the street by predicted strong gales.

Bolton Council engineers decided to knock down up to five three-storey buildings in Bolton Road fearing they were too unsteady to last the night.

Police cordoned off the area and restricted access to the busy street, causing long tail-backs and delays for rush hour traffic.

Demolition work began on the houses on the northbound side of the road between Kearsley Island and Longcauseway at about 3.30pm.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: "The properties were unsafe and in a dangerous condition and in the interests of public safety they have been taken down to a safe height.

"They had been empty for a number of years and had been broken into and vandalised a number of times.

"The back of the properties was open to the elements and the condition of the buildings was quite dangerous.

"We carried out some remedial action just a few weeks ago but they had again been targeted by vandals and we spoke to representatives of some of the owners and a contractor was called in to make the buildings safe.

"We felt the situation was so serious we had to take immediate action."

Chief Inspector Alan Greene, of Bolton Police, said council engineers had decided to knock the building down because of fears high winds cause it to fall into the street.

Police officers attended the scene to close part of the road and keep the public safe.

A busy Bolton road is being closed to traffic after water suddenly began gushing over the surface.

Investigations are underway in Thicketford Road, Tonge Moor, after water broke through causing dangerous driving conditions.

Thicketford Road is expected to remain shut from Ainsworth Lane for the next few days as United Utility officials probe the mystery water appearance.

Bolton Council contractors have been busy re-surfacing the road, closing it off at weekends, and a rise in the water table is suspected to have caused the problem.

A council spokesman said: "They haven't hit through a sewer. But for some unknown reason, the water began seeping through the surface.

"The water board are checking it out to make sure that there are no leaks. But they suspect a change in the natural water table."

The road will be open to peak traffic just one way exiting on Tonge Moor Road. Entry from Tonge Moor Road will be prohibited as will traffic in both directions at off-peak times.