An historic family mansion could still be snapped up by Keighley Town Council, despite its sale being completed.

The town council is to explore a number of measures to protect Whinburn House from an "act of vandalism" according to town mayor Cllr Tony Wright. There are plans to turn the building into apartments.

A feasibility study, business plan and consultancy work are all plans the town council has in the pipeline for the former school.

But the ideas were not well received by all councillors, some of whom said the council had to be careful with public money.

Instead a tour of the house will be arranged for councillors who have not seen the building before a special meeting is called.

Cllr Gerald Newton said: "All we are voting on is a building we haven't even seen."

And Cllr Glen Miller belittled calls for the council to pay for a consultant to look at the building's potential. He said a three-day contract at Haworth First School, which he requested when on Bradford Council, cost £7,500. If the council bought the building, it could also cost taxpayers £3 on their annual council tax bill, he claimed.

Cllr Wright led the calls for saving the building, following a monthly update on the plans by the council's planning committee.

He said: "This is a reaction to a planning application. Yes, we are too late and we apologise to the people of Keighley for that. But we need to move extremely quickly."

The application, by GCG Construction, is to build nine apartments in the 19th century mansion building. Other housing blocks will be added on the site. Cllr Allan Rhodes said: "Now we know the full facts, let's go for it and go protect our heritage."