The race for modernisation in Manchester is no secret, but there are some hidden areas of the city that got left behind.

In the project Hidden Manchester , local photographer Andrew Brooks explores these unseen buildings of Manchester.

From rooftop views to underground canals, his work explores the forgotten spaces of Manchester, which most people will never get to see in real life.

Speaking about the exhibition, Andrew said: "This took me below Deansgate in the old canal tunnels, up above the city in the Town Hall tower, exploring abandoned bunkers with a group of urban explorers and to many more fascinating parts of Manchester."

"It's interesting to see the strange buildings that have been forgotten in the rush for modernisation. Sometimes these buildings continue to be left empty and to slowly crumble, but occasionally they are brought back to life."

Here, Andrew picks out his favourite images from the collection, and explains the fascinating stories behind them.

The Hulme Hippodrome

"A beautiful old theatre. I loved the vivid colours on the walls and the intricate plaster work."

"It's such a shame that this building is in such a bad state as it's one of the most stunning spaces in the city."

Manchester Town Hall

"Angelic View. From the top of the tower at Manchester Town Hall. This was one of the most popular images from the Hidden Manchester Exhibition at Urbis. I like the way this view mixes the old architecture of the Town Hall with the modern Beetham Tower beyond."

The Court Yard, Town Hall

"Both buildings here show a confident, ambitious side of Manchester but in very different eras."

Salford Junction canal

(Image: Andrew Brooks)

"A flooded tunnel beneath Deansgate. This is the old Salford Junction canal, which runs from the River Irwell to the canal basin in front of the Bridgewater Hall. I could hear the rumble of traffic above as I worked my way down the tunnel."

The Albert Hall

"The Albert Hall, just before work began to bring it back to life as a music venue. It's always good to have access to these spaces but also it's great when these spaces do get reinvigorated and again become an important part of this city. It's great to watch it change."

The underground tunnels

Lying just below the surface of Manchester sits a complex network of underground tunnels. Several kilometres of subterranean passageways and spaces stretch under large parts of the city centre and beyond. These tunnels include the remnants of a tube station that never was, a communications bunker, air raid shelters, canals and even shops.

View from the top of the Palace Hotel

The grand Oxford Road building is currently undergoing an extensive renovation, and will soon be home to Volta's second venture, bringing their West Didsbury laid-back dining into the city centre.

Hidden basement of the Arndale shopping centre

(Image: Andrew Brooks)

You can see more images of Hidden Manchester and beyond on Andrew Brooks's website , and prints of all this work are available here.

Andrew recently won the Greater Manchester Arts Prize with his landscape of the Peak District . The winning shot was a view of the Hope Valley in the Peaks, less than an hours drive from Manchester.

"It was taken at sunrise on a late summer's morning as the leaves and bracken turned from green to brown. I was standing in an area called Odin's Gully that is at the base of Mam Tor," Andrew says.