Urban explorers have visited the site of an eerie abandoned college and described it as similar to an apocalyptic film – with chemicals still in classrooms and a radiation warning sign on a cupboard.
Urban explorer Shaun Parkinson visited the former City of Wolverhampton College campus and said the rooms appear as though students had only just left.
The historic campus first opened in 1962 as Wulfrun College, a state-of-the-art adult learning centre.
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It later merged with Bilston College in 1999 to become Wolverhampton College before changing its name to City of Wolverhampton College in 2000.
The college’s swimming pool closed in July 2014 because of high repair costs and was later converted into a climbing and activity centre called Wolf Mountain.
The centre eventually closed and moved to a new site.
The former campus closed in 2025 when teaching moved to the college’s new £61m City Learning Quarter campus in the city centre.
The old site, which was hit by fire in July, had been earmarked for demolition and future housing, as reported by Need To Know.
Shaun said: “We explored an abandoned college which was pretty untouched with chemicals and potentially radioactive sources left behind.
“There was also a climbing and activity centre on the grounds in what was originally a swimming pool area which still had things left behind.”
During their first visit, Shaun and his group explored the former climbing and activity centre before heading into the main college building.
The centre still contained ropes, harnesses and helmets, while a rope bridge led to a small climbing wall and a room with a ladder descending into a maze of tunnels and mock caves.
Inside the college, Shaun said the quiet corridors created an eerie atmosphere.
He said: “It was very eerie; the halls were quiet, too quiet.
“It was like stepping into an apocalyptic-style film, as though everyone had just up and left for the day.
“There were still posters on the walls, rooms waiting to be filled with students.
“One science room still had chemicals left in cupboards and one sign that sparked my attention was a radiation sign on the classroom door and the same sign on a cupboard door that was locked.”
Shaun said the discovery made him curious about whether a radioactive source could still be inside the building.
He said: “This has me intrigued at the possibility that there could be some radioactive source still inside.
“This is known as an orphan source.
“This makes me want to go back with my Geiger counter to see if I get any readings.”
The explorers eventually decided to leave after hearing loud bangs and what they thought were voices while they were at the top of the building.
Shaun said: “When we were right at the top of the building, we heard a loud bang from a distance, then again another bang a few seconds later and thought we heard voices.
“So we decided that, as time was pushing on and we had a two-hour drive home, it was time to make our escape.”
Plans to demolish the site have been lodged with City of Wolverhampton Council.
Under the proposals, the 12 buildings would be cleared to create a vacant site before the land is marketed, while removing ongoing maintenance costs and reducing the risk of trespass.
If approved, demolition works lasting around three months could begin on 21 September.
The site is expected to form part of future housing plans once demolition is complete, although no redevelopment proposals have yet been submitted.
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