CHILDREN are suspected of starting a fire that gutted a derelict pub.

Fire broke out at the empty Dog and Gun pub, in Front Street, Great Lumley, at around 9.30pm on Monday and quickly spread throughout the building.

Only days earlier, fire crews asked for the building to be boarded up following a blaze last Thursday, another in a series of fires at the site.

Although no-one was injured in the latest incident, officers are concerned that the spate of fire-starting is putting lives at risk, not just at the pub but elsewhere in the brigade area.

On Monday, four crews were needed to deal with the blaze and some officers were on the scene for an hour.

Members of the arson task force returned to the scene on Tuesday and confirmed that the fire had been started deliberately.

The task force is now looking into what can be done to secure the building and ensure there are no further incidents.

Divisional officer Dave Turnbull said: "We are trying to identify the perpetrators and also to raise awareness among local teenagers about the dangers of arson.

"Arson does carry a life sentence in prison and it does take fire engines away from other incidents such as house fires."