Image copyright PACEMAKER

Plans have been lodged to demolish the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown where three teenagers died in a crush on St Patrick's Day.

Morgan Barnard, 17, Lauren Bullock, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died as they queued to get into a disco in the County Tyrone hotel.

Plans have now been submitted to demolish the hotel and build five houses on the site.

Hotel owner Michael McElhatton confirmed an application has been made.

In a statement, he said: "There are no immediate plans for a change of use of the premises which will continue with its current operations for the foreseeable future."

Mr McElhatton said he did not wish to make any further comment about his reasons for the application.

In March, he said he was "deeply shocked and saddened by the traumatic events".

Image copyright Edendork GAC/Family/Facebook Image caption Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and 16-year-old Connor Currie died after the incident

A council spokesperson confirmed the application for the demolition of the Greenvale Hotel was received on 11 June and was being processed.

Police launched an investigation after the deaths of the three teenagers on 17 March.

They said more young people could have been killed after CCTV showed as many as 400 people outside the hotel.

Mr McElhatton was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the deaths, before being released on police bail. Another man was also arrested.

Detectives have traced 160 witnesses of the incident, which remains under investigation.

The PSNI has also referred the case to the Police Ombudsman after previously acknowledging there are questions about why the first officers on the scene withdrew to await support.