AN amateur photographer from Bingley has been documenting the last days of his town's most recognisable building.

After years of standing empty, demolition of the Bradford & Bingley building began last month. The building, which has been a towering presence in Bingley town centre for decades, is gradually being razed before the Sainsbury's-owned site is sold.

Mark McGlinchey, who lives just a short distance from the town centre building, was been granted access to it before in its final days and has now shared his images with the Telegraph & Argus.

Mr McGlinchey, who has held a variety of jobs including working in local radio and retail management, had been taking photos of the building when a friend suggested he ask the contractors if they would let him inside.

Before the demolition started, work had been taking place inside the building removing wiring and other re-usable or valuable items, as well as asbestos.

Some of the photographs show the stark devastation of a building ready to be knocked down, while others show a building almost frozen in time - a sign for the in building shop looks almost exactly the same as it did when the building was filled with hundreds of employees.

Mr McGinchey said: "There is that position of utter devastation and there are some really nice shots as well that make areas look like they have just been vacated.

"The building didn't bother me that much, it has a brutalistic style which I think can be quite nice. But I know that a lot of people absolutely hated the building.

"I decided that it was important to document something that was such an important part of Bingley's history for future generations.

"Some of the photographs I took from the top of the building will never be available again."

From the top of the building you can see for miles around, including much of the Aire Valley.

On one visit to the building, the site manager even allowed Mr McGinchey to take one of the '&' signs that adorned the building's walls.

Although further access to the building is unlikely, he is still regularly visiting the site to photograph the ever changing demolition works.

Bingley-based Loft Cafe has also approached Mr McGinchey to ask about displaying his photographs.

The building society's headquarters have been empty since 2009 and with plans for a Sainsbury's supermarket there falling through last year, the building has remained a prominent, but unused landmark in the town.

Demolition was delayed by almost a year after bats were found roosting in the building.

The tiered headquarters, built in the 1970s, was designed to reflect the town's famous Five Rise Locks.

Mr McGinchey said: "There is so much speculation about what will happen to the site. Personally I would like to see it become a really nice retail area in keeping with the surrounding town - nothing too modern."