Take action over disused food factory call.

CONCERNED parish councillors have turned to civic chiefs to put pressure on the owners of a adangerous building.</p><p>Greatham Parish Council has written to Hartlepool Borough Council in a bid to see some action taken at a disused factory in the village.</p><p>The former Sharwoodas food factory has been plagued by vandals and is a favourite place for local skateboarders despite warnings from police and local councillors to stay away.</p><p>With the school holidays fast approaching the parish council has contacted Hartlepool Borough Council in a bid to get the owners, the Help Foundation charity, in Manchester, to make the site secure.</p><p>Greatham parish councillor Mike McKie said: aWe are still seeing many BMX and skateboarders coming down to the site.</p><p>aWe have secured all the doors, but they still find a way in. </p><p>aThe site is horrendous with glass, open manhole covers and asbestos, all posing a massive danger to the kids during the summer holidays.</p><p>aAs a council we have done as much as we can, all weare asking is for the owners to step up to the mark.</p><p>aThe parish council has requested the local authority to be involved to see some type of action from the owners.</p><p>Last week, police issued a warning to youngsters to stay away from the factory after it had been highlighted on the internet as a good place to skateboard.</p><p>A Cleveland Police spokesman said: aThe building itself and the grounds around the site are in a very unsafe condition and there may be additional dangers of asbestos still being present throughout. </p><p>A Hartlepool council spokesman said: aWe would call on parents to stress to their children the dangers of playing on this site. We have been liaising with the police over the matter. </p><p>aWe are also in the process of contacting the owners with a view to securing improvements to the site.</p><p>Cerebos first opened a factory on the site in 1906 before it was taken over in the 1970s, by RHM making cereals, soup and soft drinks. </p><p>In 1997, Sharwoods bought the site and made chutneys until it closed in 2001.</p><p>The owners could not be contacted.</p><p>l Mail view: Page 8</p>