A disused Victorian police station has been given a new lease of life as a higher education college.
Built in 1876, the Haulgh's Old County Police Station was once a place one could be arrested, tried and imprisoned for minor offences up to those punishable by death.
And many were thrown in its holding cells.
Later used by Greater Manchester Police’s cold-case unit to investigate unsolved crimes, it shuttered in 2006.
By then it had fallen into disrepair.
In 2008, Dr Christopher Bamber, Managing Director of OLC (Europe) Ltd, decided to give it a new purpose.
He said: “I was looking for a primary school past its use to rent for OLC Colleges.
“One morning, I drove past a police station that was up for auction.
“A retired police sergeant took us round. The electricity was off and we could hardly see.
“The station was in a pretty bad state and hadn’t been used for a while, only for training police officers.
“But I knew it would suit us. Within the two days I had, I put a bid in at the auction.”
He spent £500,000 buying and refurbishing the building. And his hard work paid off.
It is now the Bolton campus of OLC Colleges, where mature students can study health and social care, business management and education.
The former judge’s changing room is now a pastoral office.
The original courtroom stands intact with its Victorian woodwork. It is considered the largest moot court in Europe.
OLC College students use it for mock trials and police officers train to give evidence in it.
But, the school is unique for another reason.
Chris said: “Our ethos is to help those that can achieve a higher education degree, but where other colleges and universities would refuse them entry.
“We hope to open their minds to a better way of living and supporting their communities.”
Enock Tsapayi, Director of Education, Learning and Assessments at OLC Colleges, said: “We have a lot of underrepresented students at all ages and backgrounds.
“Many students are admitted that would not have made it into the University of Bolton or Manchester because they may lack A-levels or some GCSEs.
“But we consider their experience and can support them if they need to gain more qualifications.
“The average student age is about 45.
“Some go when they are opting a career change, others may have left school and needed to go directly into work.”
And OLC Colleges wants them to give back to their community.
Enock said: “We aim to bring students to the forefront. The goal is for them to impact society.
“A lot of them start businesses in Bolton or own their own care agencies.
“They leave with a BA Honours and are able to begin a new career.”
Though the building has a new purpose, it hasn’t lost any of its scary charm.
In fact, some say it’s haunted.
Joe Turner, maintenance for OLC Colleges, said: “Most weekends, paranormal teams hire the building out to do their investigations.
“We do ghost tours as well.”
Joe believes he has had a paranormal experience.
He said: “Once, a ghost called George grabbed my left shoulder while I was going up the stairs into the courtroom. I ran out screaming.”
Joe said paranormal investigators found George tried to communicate with him.
He said: “He comes through every time they use the Ouija board.
“He doesn’t like me. He feels like I have changed his home because I do all the maintenance.
“I’ve had plastic cat balls thrown at my head. It frightens the life out of me, but I still host the ghost hunts.”
Film crews can’t resist the Grade II listed building, haunted or not.
Shows from Coronation Street to BBC’s Waterloo Road have used its six prison cells and court room for scenes.
And Dr Chris Bamber wants the building to serve the community.
He said: “I’ve set up a museum downstairs. We’re keen to get it up and running.
“We also want the courtroom and the cells to be used to help Bolton communities, particularly junior schools that have citizenship, crime and punishment and history courses.
“In the past three years, I’ve spent £300,000 to refit its electrical circuitry.
“I’ve paid out of pocket, we’ve never had any funding.
“I love the building to bits, I’m the custodian of its historical heritage.”
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