A huge fire ripped through a pub in Haydock as crews fought to bring the blaze under control.
Emergency services were called to Church Road, in Haydock, shortly before 5pm on Friday evening to reports of the fire.
Horrified witnesses watched on as smoke and flames billowed from the former Haydock Catholic Club.
The pub is derelict but a significant amount of damage is believed to have been caused to the building in the fire.
Six fire engines were on scene within minutes with fire fighters running into the one storey building that was well alight.
From there crews fought the fire from inside and outside the pub.
Dramatic pictures taken outside the pub showed where firefighters had entered the building and the number of emergency services that had attended.
Fire engines were still at the scene at 9pm, around four hours after the fire broke.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said that firefighters bravely entered the building to check if anyone was inside.
The fire service said: "Fire crews have been called to a fire at a derelict pub on Church Road, Newton-Le-Willows this evening. Crews were alerted at 4.57PM and on scene at 5.06PM.
"Six fire engines are now in attendance.
"Crew arrived to find a one-storey brick built building approx. 50 x 40 metres well alight.
"The incident has been divided into sectors and firefighters are fighting the fire with high pressure hose reels and main branch hoses.
"Four firefighters have entered the building wearing breathing apparatus and are searching the building for any possible casualties and fighting the fire from within.
"The incident is ongoing."
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