The demolition of a Catholic Church in Oldham has been approved after plans for the church to be taken down were submitted for a second time.

St Mary's Church and Presbytery on Ruth Street was one of two churches in Oldham which the Diocese of Salford sought to be demolished back in May.

The other church in question was Sacred Heart RC Church on Whetstone Hill Road, however, both plans were withdrawn in late May.

The Diocese of Salford previously said the plans had been withdrawn to allow for additional environmental surveys to be taken and that once they were completed, the plans would be resubmitted.

Plans for the demolition of St Mary's were resubmitted in August and earlier this week, the application was approved by the council.

One of the conditions of the demolition is the works must take place between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Friday and between 9am and 1pm on Saturdays so as not to cause any major disruption or disturbances to nearby residents.

This includes no work being carried out on Sundays or bank holidays.

Another condition of the demolition is that it cannot go ahead until either a full Protected Species Licence or a Bat Mitigation Class Licence are submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

St Mary's Church was opened in 1839 in response to demand for a Catholic church in the Oldham area and was designed by Matthew Hadfield, the architect behind Salford Cathedral.

It has suffered from high-level water ingress and dry and wet rot to the structural timbers.

The pulpit organ and other items of "historical importance" have already been removed and salvaged.

Demolition of St Mary's Church will be carried out by a mixture of hand and machine methods.

The two churches have become empty and derelict due to a lack of attendance and were described as having fallen into fallen into a "dilapidated and derelict state of late due to vandalism".

The Diocese of Salford was contacted for a comment on the approval of the demolition.