HALTON’S high rise tower block Churchill Mansions has been given the all clear by fire chiefs.

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London, which has so far claimed 79 lives, a thorough inspection has been carried out at the 11 storey Runcorn flats.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service completed a fire risk inspection of the building last week and found no problems.

A spokesman for Halton Housing Trust, which owns and manages the Runcorn property, said today: “The inspection went extremely well with no issues or any recommendations being identified.

“This reflects the significant investment the trust has made over several years into fire safety measures at Churchill Mansions.

“The trust will continue to proactively test the safety procedures across all our 6,800 properties with the safety of our customers being of paramount importance.”

The trust says none of the cladding systems installed at the 44 flats on Cooper Street are the type used at Grenfell Tower.

The external cladding on Churchill Mansions was fitted during the 1990s. Recent tests indicate the materials used are a fibreglass based product which provides excellent fire-retardant properties.

The materials used within cladding across all the trust’s properties comply fully with building regulations.

The trust operates a cyclical programme of works that routinely inspects properties and highlights any defects, including within the cladding, immediately for a priority repair.

The requirement for a sprinkler system to be introduced at Churchill Mansions has been significantly reduced following proactive activities implemented by the trust over the last few years.

Measures include comprehensive and robust fire risk assessments and compartmentalised internal fixtures to reduce the spread of fire and smoke.

Bespoke metal conduits have been installed for all communal wiring.

The gas supply has been removed from the building and a full electrical and heating upgrade was carried out in June 2016.

A dedicated estate services team is on site five days per week carrying out housekeeping regimes and weekly fire alarm tests.

Nick Atkin, trust group chief executive, said: “The safety and security of the trust’s customers is of paramount importance.

“We urge any customers with concerns or requiring further information on the safety of their home to contact us immediately.”