See Sunderland's Seaburn Centre arch come down as demolition work nears completion

The familiar arched canopy of the Seaburn Centre was torn down this morning.

Demolition work initially began at the former leisure centre in November last year, but the discovery of a nesting group of starlings led to work being halted while an ecology survey was carried out.

Work restarted in September and was expected to take around six weeks to complete.

Sunderland City Council announced in December 2016 that the Seaburn Centre would close within three months.

Council bosses said the site, which has been earmarked as part of a huge redevelopment project for the seafront, was is 'no longer commercially viable' to retain in the short-term.

Regeneration company Siglion, which hopes to create new housing, seaside retail and leisure facilities in the area, has said it hopes to make Seaburn a "distinctive, popular and first choice destination to attract visitors and families from the city and across the region to live, work and visit".