Church fire started 'deliberately'

The fire gutted the interior of the building

The police believe a fire at a Catholic church in County Antrim was started deliberately.

Officers investigating the blaze which destroyed the sacristy of St Mary's on Chapel Road in Cushendall said they have not ruled out the possibility that it was a sectarian attack.

They say the fire was started when a burning tyre was pushed against the church door.

The alarm was raised at 0420 BST on Monday after the blaze took hold on the ground floor and the sacristy at the rear of the building.

We are treating the fire as suspicious and as such the fire is now under investigation

Ken Leathen

Fire crews managed to stop the fire spreading to other parts of the church.

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Ken Leathen said that when two appliances arrived, the sacristy was already well alight.

"The fire itself was very intense in the early stages," he said.

Candles melted during the blaze

"Really it was from the efforts of the fire-fighters on the ground and the substantial nature of the building, that actually stopped the fire from spreading into the main building."

He said that part of the sacristy on the ground floor and first floor had been completely destroyed.

"We are treating the fire as suspicious and as such the fire is now under investigation," he said.