Old Courthouse in Cockermouth collapses into the river

The Old Courthouse was declared unsafe in November 2021 after the fast-flowing River Cocker eroded the stone section underneath it.

Images show that the rear of the property has collapsed completely into the river with the collapse thought to have taken place at around 5am on Sunday, October 8.

The Cocker Bridge is closed and the Environment Agency are aware of the situation.

London property consultant Samiul Ahmed bought the Old Courthouse at auction last year, for £51,000 and planned to spend more than £100,000 making it safe.

The 194-year-old riverside building was described by the Carlisle-based Auction House as a "substantial Grade-II listed town centre property in need of major structural repair".

Structural engineers have assessed the damage and Mr Ahmed has been working with building control, the Environment Agency, local builders, designers, planning and heritage groups, he said in March.

The collapse comes after days of heavy rain (Image: Mal Mavin)Cockermouth’s Civic Trust group had previously warned about the safety of the Old Courthouse with their architectural advisor saying in April that the building remained “highly vulnerable to further collapse”.

Cumbria has seen heavy rain over the past few days with river levels rising across the county and a number of flood alerts have been in place.

A Cumberland Council spokesperson said:  “The Old Courthouse is an iconic building in Cockermouth and we share local residents' sadness following the recent partial collapse of the building.

“We are working with emergency services and partners to do all we can to assess the damage and take immediate steps to protect public safety.

“The bridge over the River Cocker has been closed as a precautionary measure and screening will be installed. Please avoid the area and follow any diversions in place.

“There have been no reports of any injuries and although some debris has landed into the river, the river is still flowing.

“The Environment Agency has confirmed that although the collapse is near to their flood walls, the walls remain intact and the town’s flood risk has not increased.

“A multi-agency response is now in place, and we will provide updates as soon as they are available.

“This is a privately owned building and has been an ongoing issue. We continue to work with the owner of the property, and partners," they said.