A devastating fire ripped through a derelict former pub in Birkdale this morning.
Emergency services were called to the old Blundell Arms pub, in Upper Aughton Road, at 9.18am.
The blaze caused severe damage to the ground floor, first floor and roof space of the property.
Four fire engines and an aerial appliance were needed to bring the blaze under control, with nearby residents warned to keep doors and windows closed.
The appliance was used to remove parts of the building's roof so crews could check for hot spots and for any spread of the fire.
The incident led to the collapse of a large section of the roof and a lot of windows being knocked through.
Firefighters were spraying water through windows, through the roof and down the chimney.
Crews had left the scene by lunchtime, with the incident being handed over to the site owner.
An investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out.
The Blundell Arms ceased operations as a pub in 2016. Since then, different groups have been battling over the future of the site , with some wanting to retain it as a community venue and others looking to demolish it make way for housing.
