Fire at abandoned school was arson, police say

Chelsea Warren Fire at the derelict school. Flames are ripping through the roof.Chelsea Warren
Crews tackled a fire at a derelict school in County Durham in May

A fire which ripped through an abandoned primary school earlier this year is being treated as arson, police said.

Emergency crews tackled a blaze at the former Greenland Infant School in Stanley, County Durham, in May.

Durham Constabulary said officers believed the fire was deliberately set.

However, it added due to a lack of evidence linking any suspects to the blaze, the investigation had been closed "pending any new information".

No-one was injured during the incident at the school, which has been empty since 2013.

Officers said an "extensive investigation" had been carried out, including reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to a number of witnesses.

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