POLICE have fired a stern warning after receiving reports of youths entering the derelict Butts Bridge Mill.

Police and the fire and rescue service have visited the site after reports of youths entering the building at various times of the day.

Police have stepped up patrols in the area and have issued a strong warning and safety advice following the reports.

In a statement, police said: "The derelict building is not structurally safe. There are several tunnels and large drops inside the building where someone could easily fall causing serious injury or even death.

"The building could potentially collapse at any time. It is therefore imperative that no unauthorised access is gained to the building at any time of the day.

"Access to any part of the building by emergency services would be extremely difficult in the event of an accident.

"Please advise your children regarding the risks of entering any derelict building and ensure you know their whereabouts at all times.

"We have increased police patrols in and around the area of the mill in an effort to deter anyone seeking to gain access, but we cannot be there 24/7 and we don’t want to be attending to deal with a fatality of someone who didn’t heed the warning."