URGENT repair and refurbishment work to Warrington's iconic Golden Gates could cost more than £500,000.

On Monday, the executive board is recommended to approve the funding and award the contract for the work.

It is proposed that the gates will be 'dismantled' and taken off site ahead of a detailed inspection to determine the extent of the damage.

In January, planning permission was granted for the listed structure to be 'dismantled' to allow for urgent repairs to take place.

The forecasted budget for the project in 2018-19 is £220,000, with the estimate for 2019-20 set as £30,000, which follows a sum of £45,000 already committed to the scheme.

However, a cost variance of £225,000 has also been highlighted, with the project having the potential to rise to more than £500,000 depending on the amount of work required.

The council said work on the historic gates is being carried out to ‘secure the asset for the benefit of future generations’.

It was urged to act swiftly after chunks of the landmark fell to the ground in February last year.