PART of a disused secondary school left a crumbling shell and "damaged beyond repair" by an arson attack is set to be demolished.

The former Yorkshire Martyrs School at Westgate Hill, Bradford, was targeted by arsonists in March this year and crews from four stations across the city were needed to bring the blaze under control.

It was the latest in a number of fires at the school since it shut, and its owners say it is now "a risk to the public from potential collapse"

Sharing a site with Tong High School, off Westgate Hill Street, the Roman Catholic school closed in 2010 after a re-structuring by the Leeds Catholic Diocese, brought about by falling numbers of children on the rolls at Catholic schools in Bradford.

The diocese has now submitted a planning application to Bradford Council to demolish the two storey administration block that was the subject of the fire.

The entire site was on the market at the time of the fire, and still remains for sale for re-use as a school or re-development.

The diocese's application says the two storey building which was damaged in the fire will be torn down, and the land levelled using the building's rubble if it is found to not be contaminated.

It adds: "The building has been subject to fire attack, leaving the structure and fabric of the building damaged beyond repair. In its current state the building presents a risk to the public from potential collapse and is an eyesore."

New fencing will also be added to the site to prevent further trespassers.

A spokesman for the Diocese told the Telegraph & Argus it hoped to start demolition work as soon as the application was approved. The application says works would likely start in early August and be completed in October.

Councillor Michael Johnson, a Labour Councillor for Tong and a governor at Tong High School, said: "I've seen the application and I welcome it. I really think the building needs demolishing."

The Council is expected to decide whether to allow the demolition by the end of the month.

As well as the arson earlier this year, the school's former science block was destroyed in a similar incident in 2011. That block was demolished later that year.

At the time of the March arson attack a police said the fire had been caused by somebody breaking into the building and setting fire to materials inside.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said there had so far been no arrests over the incident.