MORE than 40 firefighters spent six hours tackling a blaze which destroyed a disused hotel.

The fire, at the former Old Stork Hotel, in Bowesfield Lane, Thornaby, Teesside, is believed to have been started deliberately shortly before 1am yesterday.

Eight fire engines attended, but firefighters were unable to get into the building - which was a maternity hospital before being turned into a hotel - because of unstable floors.

The flames were tackled from outside, but minor fires were still breaking out last night.

Leading firefighter Ian Bradley, of Thornaby fire station, said the hotel, which is in a residential area, was largely destroyed.

"The centre core of the building is gutted, the roof is gone and most of the rooms have been severely damaged. There is a wing that hasn't been touched, but that's been damaged by vandals anyway," he said.

"Because it's a disused building and all the doors inside were open, the fire went through the building very quickly and there wasn't a lot we could do about it. It was too dangerous for our men to go in.

"Although the building is next to some houses, there was very little chance of it spreading to them."

He said a joint police and fire investigation into how the blaze began would be held once the building could be entered safely.

"We can't say 100 per cent, but everything is pointing towards a deliberate attack at the moment," he said.

A Cleveland Police spokesman was unable to confirm who owned the building. "Inquiries are ongoing," he said.