ARTIFACTS SAVED FROM LINEN FACTORY BLAZE

Linen machinery and other historical items had been moved from the factory in recent times, narrowly avoiding last week's blaze which took firefighters more than two hours to put out.

Police are treating the fire at the site on Tuesday, March 2, as malicious, but said they have been unable to carry out a full examination of the scene due to the "structural integrity of the building".

Landowner Norman Kerr said the derelict building has been a hang-out for young people for a number of years.

"The place is supposedly boarded up, but what can you do to keep them out?" he said.

scrap

"Most of the valuable scrap material that was on the site has been stolen over the past few years, including the lead from the roof, copper inside the building, and steel outside it.

"The place was damaged beyond repair by this fire, but the site has been secured now. It's secure if people stay away from it."

Councillor Jim McElroy said he would welcome development of the derelict site.

"I think the site could be used for something, whether it is housing or whatever.

"It should be well fenced off at the very least to prevent incidents like this.

"It would be preferable to have it being used for something productive rather than sitting there not being used."