Fire breaks out at empty factory in Longton

Firefighters have spent the night tackling a fire which was started deliberately at an empty factory in Stoke-on-Trent.

Crews were first called to the scene, in Caroline Street, Longton, just after 2100 BST on Thursday and they remained there until Friday morning.

The crew said their work was hampered as the building was unsafe and so they were not able to get into it.

A building inspector has been called in to check the damage.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said the building was unoccupied but there were signs that someone had been in.

"Thankfully the storage area where some paint and solvent was being kept was unaffected," he said.