A story that has attracted the major news channels is the accidental demolition of a stone chateau in Yvrac, France.

The mistake is being blamed on Polish construction workers, who apparently mistook the 13,000m2 chateau they were supposed to be renovating for a small outbuilding that was to be demolish.

The chateau’s owner is Russian businessman Dmitry Stroskin, who was away at the time and returned to discover his chateau - with a grand hall that could seat some 200 people reduced to rubble.

The French website

Sud-Ouest.fr reported Mr Stroskin as saying: “I didn't know the chateau was destroyed, I’m shocked."

The businessman said he would not pursue the builders over the mistake but would commission an architect to build a replica of the building.