Major fire at abandoned 18th Century manor house

Firefighters are tackling a major blaze at an abandoned Grade I-listed manor house in Liverpool.

Built in 1704, Woolton Hall previously served as a hotel, an army hospital, a convent and a school but had fallen into disrepair in recent years.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) arrived at the site, on Speke Road in Woolton, at 20:16 BST and have closed roads in the area as crews try to bring the fire under control.

Drone footage shared with the BBC shows the two-storey building's roof completely engulfed in flames and partially collapsed.

A huge fire has engulfed the abandoned Woolton Hall in Liverpool

MFRS said five fire engines and an aerial platform had been deployed to the scene.

A spokesperson said firefighters found the stone building fully engulfed.

The blaze was estimated to be about 130ft(40m) by 100ft (30m) in size.

MFRS said: "Water supplies have been established and Merseyside Police are on scene assisting with traffic management.

"The road has been closed in both directions. Please avoid the area."

The building previously caught fire in 2019 in an incident treated by police as arson

Residents living nearby have been advised to keep doors and windows closed.

The building previously caught fire in 2019, and the incident was treated as an arson attack by police.

Fire crews were able to prevent the flames from destroying the building six years ago.

Campaigners expressed concerns at the time about potential future fires.