What caused a blaze, which ripped-through a troubled derelict pub is now being probed by police.
The fire at the disused Whitburn Lodge pub, in the Marsden area of South Tyneside, broke out on New Years Day.
Firefighters spent almost nine hours tackling the blaze after being called to the scene, on Mill Lane, at just after 4.30pm.
And a stretch of road was closed as crews battled to bring the blaze under control.
No one was injured and today Northumbria Police has confirmed that officers are investigating the fire.
A spokeswoman said: "Enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing."
Whitburn Lodge has been branded an "eyesore" after the pub fell into a state of disrepair following its closure in 2012.
The site has reportedly been a regular target for vandals.
And in 2016 it was taken over by criminals who converted the building into a huge cannabis farm.
Police discovered a haul of 600 cropped plants when they searched the property.
Officers said they believed someone had cut a padlock off a gate to gain entry.
A spokesman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 4.36 on Sunday our fire control received a call reporting a fire at a disused pub on Mill Lane in Whitburn.
“They deployed our crews to the scene and an appliance from South Shields Community Fire Station was on scene in a matter of minutes. Crews from Sunderland Central and Marley Park also later attended.
“They found the former Whitburn Lodge pub well alight and immediately began to try and extinguish the flames.
“Enquiries into the circumstances around the fire are ongoing but nobody has reportedly been injured at this time. We want to thank the quick actions of our fire control and operational crews who responded so quickly and prevented the fire from spreading.”
The fire appears to have caused extensive damage to the former pub, with pictures showing its roof destroyed by the flames.
Several locals have shared the information and pictures of the blaze on social media as they expressed their concern, while the owners of horses located in stables near the pub confirmed in a Facebook post that the animals are unharmed and have been taken away from the scene safely.
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