AN EYESORE building gutted by fire seven years ago is set to be torn down within days.

A road closure has been agreed for Market Street in Harwich to make way for the work to bulldoze number 20, which has been empty since a huge fire in April 2012.

The flames, caused by a householder cleaning car parts in the kitchen sink with petrol while smoking in the top floor flat, destroyed the inside.

At the time, Tending Council deemed the building too unsafe to live in and said it must be demolished.

A month after the fire hoardings were put around the building, but within days they have been graffitied with the words "What's this? Council cover up?".

Since the fire, residents have called for action to tidy up the building, which is in the conservation area.

They even held birthday parties outside with cake to mark the first two years after the fire with no action.

A banner in Tendring Council’s colours was draped across the dilapidated building along with green and white balloons as part of the first anniversary party, with tea and cakes served to residents.

The tongue-in-cheek sign said "First Anniversary of Inaction".

Critics also awarded the building the Eyesore of the Year title.

On the second anniversary, Harwich Town Residents' Association set up a stall outside with a petition demanding Tendring Council take action.

David Flavell, who has been campaigning for the site to be cleared up since the fire, said: "The man who owned it drowned trying to save his dog in 2017.

"A couple of weeks ago I noticed someone was cutting the ivy back that was taking over.

"They knocked a bit down and went away.

"So this is good, it's good something is finally happening.

"It should not have been left in that state.

"Tendring did it's best to make sure it was structurally sound, but it has been a series of very unfortunate events really.

"This has been a terrible eyesore in a conservation area.

"It's not a good impression when people walk around Harwich, which will be important for Harwich during the Mayflower anniversary celebrations."

In 2015 planning permission was granted to knock 20 Market Street down and build eight new apartments.

Essex County Council Highways has agreed a temporary traffic regulation order to close the road from March 28 for 36 days while work is carried out to pull the building down.