Large fire engulfs town hall

Large plumes of smoke can be seen above Maghull Town Hall

A fire has broken out at a town hall in Merseyside.

Large plumes of smoke can be seen as firefighters tackle the blaze at the town hall in Maghull, near Liverpool.

Merseyside Fire And Rescue Service said it was alerted at about midday and had sent 10 fire engines to the scene, describing the roof of the three-storey building as "well alight".

Witnesses have shared footage of the fire, which is on the same site as the town's leisure centre.

People are warned to avoid the area and residents have been urged to keep windows and doors shut so they do not breathe in smoke.

Sefton Council said staff at the Meadows Leisure Centre had acted "swiftly and responsibly to keep our members safe", before the premises was "safely evacuated".

The council said nearby roads would be temporarily closed to aid emergency services.

The fire service said Merseyside Police were helping to secure the area.