AN URBAN explorer who tried to enter an abandoned factory for a YouTube video has been criticised.

A YouTuber named Magic Magnets uploaded a video to the site of him trying to urban-explore the old Sovereign Chemical plant in Barrow.

One councillor described the act as 'dangerous.' 

Sovereign Chemicals is owned by Bostik, the glue manufacturer, but the Barrow plant closed down last year after 56 years of operation. Bostik decided to contract the warehouse work out to a third party nearer its base in Stafford, leaving the viability of the Park Road site in question. 

Once the 16 remaining employees at the site finished the consultation process by the end of 2021, the facility was locked-up and prepared for sale.

The Mail: The Calcium Chloride intake on the outside of the building The Calcium Chloride intake on the outside of the building (Image: Magic Magnets)

The man first circles around the facility before finally making it into the grounds. 

READ MORE: Workers to lose jobs after Sovereign Chemicals in Barrow announces closure

He films around the side of the building and then walks around the large courtyard behind the factory. He tries multiple doors around the building but all are padlocked shut. 

At the end of the video, he admitted that he 'failed' to get inside the plant.

The Mail: He tried the door to get in but everywhere was lockedHe tried the door to get in but everywhere was locked (Image: Magic Magnets) 

Grant Bostock, communications manager from Bostik, said: "Appropriate checks were carried out to ensure the site was safe before it was decommissioned ahead of sale, which is expected to go ahead in early 2023. We would advise anyone against trespassing in the meantime."

Bill McEwan, a councillor for Ormsgill, said: "I don't think they should be trying this. They might not be safe in there. It is dangerous to them - they are causing a disturbance. Please do not do it - you could do yourself harm. 

"They come away and they say they do it safely but what are they getting out of it? I think it is a dangerous game that they play. 

"You get youngsters watch it, it's not a good role model. They think it's great that they can do this."

While trespass is not a criminal offence in the UK, it can become a civil case with injunctions put on the defendant to prevent them from entering somewhere again.