Baswich House has been finally reduced to rubble, marking the end of the 150-year-old home of a former Stafford MP.

All that was left of the Victorian building this morning was a pile of bricks and wood, with one of its distinctive white window frames visible in the rubble.

The building, noted for its distinctive tall chimneys, was taken down to make way for new housing at the request of Staffordshire Police Authority.

The authority claimed Baswich House was not of historical interest and needed a £1 million refurbishment to bring it up to scratch.

But the loss of the Cannock Road landmark, noted also for its association with the Salt family, was being lamented by local historians and campaigners.

They claim to have found another “hole” in the police authority’s justification for the move after a “serious accident” at the house, partly cited as proof of its unsafe condition, was discovered to have involved an office worker tripping over a box.