STAFF at Morecambe Town Hall had a lucky escape when the ceiling in a committee room collapsed.

Fortunately no one was in the room when the ceiling fell to the floor breaking furniture and damaging wall fittings.

Structural engineers are now investigating the cause of the collapse and staff working in adjacent rooms have been moved to elsewhere in the building.

A council spokesman explained: "A large piece of mainly plaster ceiling collapsed at Morecambe Town Hall on Thursday. There was nobody in the room at the time and the damage caused was minimal.

An immediate investigation has already begun with structural engineers examining the remaining roof structure as a matter of urgency. Furthermore, as a precaution, people have been moved from adjoining offices.

Initial investigations appear to indicate the collapse resulted from condensation within the roof construction. The location on the seafront will have meant that there is more exposure to the elements than is normally the case. However, because the roof is sealed from above and below, by the different roof coverings, it is not possible to see what is happening inside the structure and it was therefore impossible to anticipate the collapse."

An immediate investigation has already begun with structural engineers examining the remaining roof structure as a matter of urgency. Samples are being taken and analysed and it will be next week before the council has a fuller picture.

Former councillor Evelyn Archer, who has requested that Morecambe Town Hall be made a listed building, said she had always been concerned about the level of maintenance at the seafront building.

She said: "It's never had much money spent on it. It could do with some new windows, I think they're the same ones from when it was built.

"It's an important building and it's the council's responsibility to ensure it maintained in good condition."