Council chiefs want to sell the historic building and have transferred all of their staff to other facilities in the borough.

But plans to sell to Halton and St Helens PCT, who wanted to dramatically alter the interior, collapsed when the building was named as a listed building.

It has since lain empty and there are fears the building will be left to slowly deteriorate or become a target for vandals and arsonists.

More than 300 residents attended a meeting last week with Mr Watts to express their outrage at the council's plans and many are now drawing up a rescue package which would involve a consortium of community group members taking over the running of the building.

Mr Watts said: "The council had informed me that all the local organisations that used the building had been found suitable alternative facilities.

"However everyone of the user groups made it clear at the meeting that they had been forced to leave the Town Hall and that the alternative facilities were inferior to those at the Town Hall."

Mr Watts has written to all three local party leaders - Councillors Brian Spencer, Marie Rimmer and Wally Ashcroft - asking them to join him in finding a solution, as well as contacting St Helens Chamber for help drawing up a rescue package.

Mr Watts also hit out at St Helens Council for failing to provide the group interested in taking over the building with information about its maintenance and running costs.

Mr Watts added: "It was very clear that local people wanted this building to be maintained and used as a community facility and I urge the council to reconsider its position."

A council spokeswoman said: "The council has always indicated that it is prepared to hold discussions with any group who can demonstrate a viable proposal showing long term sustainability."