RESIDENTS of tower blocks and major apartment developments in Barnsley have been reassured the buildings are safe following the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in London.

Two modern developments - Gateway Plaza at Town End and Skyline near Morrisons - both feature external cladding, but companies behind both developments have confirmed their cladding systems are fire-retardant and entirely different to that used in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Both have received extra precautionary checks from the fire brigade this week.

And Barnsley Council has sought to reassure residents in the three blocks of flats off Sheffield Road that regular fire risk assessments were done and there were no areas of concern.

But extra checks have been carried out since last week’s fire, which left at least 79 people dead, or missing presumed dead.

Read more in this weeks Barnsley Chronicle