Boy, 12, arrested after derelict Borrowash pub gutted in fire

An investigation into the fire at The Wilmot Arms is set to begin on Thursday

A 12-year-old boy has been arrested after a fire gutted a derelict pub in a Derbyshire village.

Firefighters spent more than nine hours tackling the blaze that broke out at The Wilmot Arms in Derby Road, Borrowash, on Wednesday.

Derbyshire Police said the boy had been held on suspicion of arson.

A joint investigation into the cause of the blaze, between the force and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, is set to begin on Thursday.

The pub has been severely damaged by the flames

The fire service said a section of the road would remain closed for "some time".

Emergency services arrived after receiving reports of the fire at 14:45 BST and left the scene in the early hours of Thursday.

Firefighters later returned to check for hotspots.

The owners of the pub, which closed in 2019, were granted planning permission to build nine homes on the site last year.

Firefighters were at the scene until the early hours of Thursday morning