Police imposed a 48-hour ‘direction to leave’ order on the derelict former Total Fitness gym in Huddersfield after a series of break-ins and vandal attacks.

The former gym on the Tandem Industrial Estate at Waterloo has been a repeated target for intruders including so-called ‘urban explorers’ who have videoed themselves inside.

Virtually every pane of glass was said to have been smashed and now the building has been boarded up and made secure.

After a number of children broke into the building earlier this month, police put in place a 48-hour ‘direction to leave’ order meaning anyone found hanging around the building can be ordered to leave. If they don’t move on they can be arrested.

The Huddersfield Neighbourhood Policing Team is concerned about rising anti-social behaviour at certain locations including the derelict former Kirklees College building in Huddersfield town centre.

Police are warning young people they risk serious injury or worse if they get inside abandoned buildings and patrols have been stepped up.

The former Kirklees College building

Insp Graham Dyson, of the Huddersfield Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The primary purpose of the police is to protect life, so it is of genuine and growing concern to us to see persons risking their life and limb by entering these buildings.

“Some of these abandoned properties really are dangerous and we and partner agencies are very concerned about someone coming to serious harm in them.

“Sadly, we have seen persons suffer serious injury in other parts of West Yorkshire over the years through entering abandoned buildings and I don’t want that happening here this summer.”

Insp Dyson warned that police wouldn’t hesitate to bring charges and added: “Those who break into these premises should be aware that they are also potentially committing criminal offences and know that we will prosecute anyone involved in criminality.

“Please don’t risk your health and don’t risk getting a criminal record by going into these places. Stay away and stay safe.”

Former Total Fitness gym still set to re-open as a gym with new operator planning to invest £1m in vandal-hit building

Huddersfield Hub was told last month that a gym operator was about to sign a lease for the former Total Fitness premises and planned a £1 million refit and that it could be open around the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, developers were given planning permission earlier this year to demolish the former Kirklees College building and build a new Lidl store, apartments and offices on the site.

READ MORE: This is when the developers of the former Kirklees College site said the old college would be demolished by