Progress is being made on the demolition of Barrow's old police station.

The building in Duke Street is being demolished to make way for a 127-bedroom Holiday Inn Express hotel.

It was the home of Barrow Police for decades after being built in 1958.

And parts of the building now lie in rubble in readiness for the new hotel development.

Inspector Jim Bailey said the building will be missed by Barrow's police officers but that it was "time to move forward".

He said: "We have got a lot of memories of the old police station.

"It was good to have a building right in the town centre but is was not sustainable to have a building of the size we need in the middle of Barrow.

"It is good to see the space is going to be used for something.

"We have made good use of the building but it is time to move forward."

The inspector said he was happy that the work had uncovered some historic finds, including a time capsule from when the station was built, containing items such as a policeman's whistle, truncheon and old plans for the building.

He said: "It is a great bit of nostalgia.

"It would have been nice for us officers to tour the building before it was demolished but it is nice that some elements of the old station will be retained."

The leader of Barrow Borough Council, Councillor David Pidduck, welcomed the progress on the development.

He said: "This work looks to be coming along well and is a great thing that we are getting investment in the town with this new hotel.

"It shows that things are happening in Barrow not in the future but now and it is absolutely great news for the area."