DEMOLITION day at one of Marlow's historic buildings was put on ice this week - due to fears over a potentially dangerous gas pipe.

It was due to be a momentous week at Marlow Rowing Club with the old clubhouse, wrecked by fire in 2011, pulled down.

But officials from National Grid threw a spanner in the works.

Until a monitoring device can be installed on the offending pipe to check vibration levels, the creation of the new £2.5m watersports hub will be delayed.

Lynne Moran, MRC press officer, said: "Basically what’s happened is we have been contracted by National Grid to say there’s a gas pipe that’s very close to the property.

"National Grid are concerned about the impact the vibration will have on the pipe. They are worried about it breaking which is, of course, potentially very dangerous."

It could be another two weeks before the wrecking ball begins to swing, but the time frame is as yet unclear.

Mrs Moran said: "Obviously we hope there will be no problem but clearly if something happens during the build it may halt the whole process. It’s unfortunate but shows the complications there can be."

The project, helped by a £1m grant from Sport England, is scheduled to take about ten months to complete.

There will be more than just rowing at the site once the rebuild is finished.

Disabled canoeists vying to become gold medal winners at future Paralympics will be trained at the watersports hub, which it is hoped will also help develop the para-rowers that aim to become champions in Rio 2016.

The club was chosen earlier this year by British Rowing as one of two that will be a centre for the development of an elite plan for para-rowing.

About another £200,000 is needed in donations for the rebuild. Anyone wishing to help raise funds for the club can email: fundraising@marlowrowingclub.co.uk