Major mill blaze being treated as arson by police

More than 20 fire engines attended Dalton Mills on Saturday at the height of the blaze

A major fire at a derelict textile mill in West Yorkshire is thought to have been started deliberately, according to investigators.

Flames erupted at the Grade II-listed Dalton Mills in Keighley on Saturday with embers from the fire also damaging the roof of Keighley Bus Museum.

At the height of the fire on Saturday afternoon more than 20 fire engines were at the scene though no casualties were reported.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said its investigation team had recorded the fire as "suspected deliberate ignition" while police said they were treating the incident as arson.

Peaky Blinders

Two crews remained at the scene "checking for hotspots and damping down", a fire service spokesperson added.

West Yorkshire Police said its inquiries were ongoing and they asked for anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity around the site on Saturday to get in touch.

Dalton Mills, which has been used in TV dramas such as Downton Abbey and Peaky Blinders, was previously damaged by a fire in 2022 which led to two teenage boys being charged with arson.

The bus museum, which is home to 130 vehicles, has cancelled all events for the foreseeable future.

The museum chairman said on Sunday that its vehicles were "not so badly affected" with the damage mainly confined to the roof.

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