FIRE investigators believe the blaze that destroyed a four-storey mill in Bradford over the Bank Holiday weekend was an accident.

It is believed to have started in a joiner's shop on the ground floor of Ivy Mills in Mill Street, close to the city centre.

At its height, 12 fire crews were on the scene battling to bring the flames under control using aerial ladder platform appliances from the outside because the roof had collapsed.

The fire broke out just after 8am on Saturday with crews having to stay days after to dampen down what was left.

A fire service spokesman said: "Our fire investigation team believe the cause to be accidental. The origin of the fire was in the joiner's shop on the ground floor of the mill. "

Representatives from Bradford Council's building control department had declared the building unsafe and talks began on Tuesday about demolishing it.

The mill building owner, believed to be from Manchester, had given the job of razing it to the ground to Manchester-based Windmill UK Demolition but Bradford-based Thomas Crompton has now confirmed it is taking over.

Talks have been ongoing between the owner, loss adjusters and insurance company and a structural report is still awaited to help demolition workers plan the task of bringing down the iconic building.

The demolition could finally happen sometime tomorrow.