A 14-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire tore through Woolton Hall, a Grade I-listed manor house in south Liverpool.

Emergency services were called at around 8.20pm on Tuesday (19 August) to reports that the derelict 18th-century building was alight. Witnesses said a large group of youths had been seen in the grounds shortly before flames engulfed the property.

Firefighters battle blaze overnight

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) sent multiple crews to the site on Speke Road, Woolton. They battled the blaze through the night and confirmed the two-storey stone building had suffered significant damage.

A joint investigation between MFRS and Merseyside Police is now underway. Detectives say early inquiries suggest the fire was started deliberately.

Girl arrested and bailed

The 14-year-old, from Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of arson and taken into custody for questioning. She has since been conditionally bailed while inquiries continue.

“Extremely reckless act”

Detective Inspector Daniel McWhinnie said:

“This appears to have been an extremely reckless act at a historic building that has stood at the site for hundreds of years.

We know the community will be rightly shocked by what happened and we are determined to find all those responsible.

If you are a parent or guardian in the area and your child was out that night, we ask that you enquire about their movements and what they might know.”

Police are appealing for anyone who saw the group of youths, or who may have dashcam footage from Speke Road that evening, to come forward.

Appeal for witnesses

Information can be reported via:

• Merseyside Police on 101, quoting ref 25000688649

• Social media: X @MerPolCC or Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook

• Online: Report a crime | Merseyside Police

• Or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Woolton Hall, built in 1704 and famed for its historic and architectural significance, has been targeted by vandals and arsonists in the past. Campaigners have long called for greater protection of the site.