West Dorset MP Chris Loder has urged South Western Railway to demolish the disused Red Star Parcel building at Dorchester South, as he continues his campaign to improve the county town's flagship railway station.

Refurbishments are being lobbied for to overhaul the station building's accessibility and to improve the station facilities.

Mr Loder, who enjoyed a career of 20 years in the railway industry before turning to politics, said: "I have championed Dorchester South many times in parliament. This is also why I have been fully making the case for this station to properly reflect its status as gateway to Dorchester and West Dorset more widely.

"I am hoping to see progress shortly to finally overhaul the station building with the interests of our many disabled passengers at heart, and look forward to the day, hopefully soon, that the eyesore parcel building will be demolished."

Red Star Parcels was a service which used passenger trains for transporting parcels between passenger railway stations throughout the UK, but the building has remained disused for several years.

The local MP put these challenges to South Western Railway's regional development manager Andrew Ardley during a meeting at the station on Friday.

Among the other topics discussed was the need for a properly accessible station for disabled passengers seeking to travel between platforms, which Mr Loder has been campaigning for.

He added: "After much work in ensuring all parties are aligned in a way forward, I am strongly supporting an Access for All funding bid with the government, which if successful will ensure this vital local station is able to be fully accessible for all those wishing to travel,"