A major fire has engulfed a historic Grade I listed manor house in Merseyside and caused the roof to collapse.
Firefighters were called to the scene at Woolton Hall on Tuesday evening.
Smoke rising from the fire at the building on Speke Road, Liverpool could be seen as far away as Prescot.
**ARE YOU READING THIS ON OUR APP? DOWNLOAD NOW FOR THE BEST GB NEWS EXPERIENCE**
One of the oldest buildings in Liverpool, Woolton Hall had previously served as a hotel, an army hospital, a convent and a school.
However, in recent years the building had fallen into disrepair.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) said: "There are currently nine fire engines and an aerial appliance on scene with the aerial appliance and main jet hoses in use fighting the fire to the exterior of the building.
"A multi agency meeting has taken place with Police and a building surveyor, who has assessed the building and advised it would be unsafe to commit firefighters to the interior of the building.
Firefighters were called to the scene at Woolton Hall on Tuesday evening
|X
"The incident continues and will do for some considerable time."
Emergency services first arrived on scene at 8.16pm on Tuesday, and proceeded to close roads in the area while firefighters attempted to bring the blaze under control.
A previous statement from MFRS said: "The historic building, measuring 100 by 100 metres in size is well alight and the roof has collapsed."
Firefighters were seen dampening the grass nearby in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading.
MORE NEWS FROM MERSEYSIDE:
Smoke rising from the fire at the building on Speke Road, Liverpool could be seen as far away as Prescot
|X
Residents living nearby have been told to close their doors and windows, and "avoid the area".
Dating back to 1704, the building was granted Grade I-listed status after it was saved from demolition in the 1980s.
In 2019, the building caught fire in an incident which was treated by police as an arson attack.
At the time, firefighters were able to bring the flames under control and prevent the structure from being destroyed.
Two years later, it was added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk register as a Category A site.
Campaigners have been fighting for years to save the building from ruin.
One such person, Jonathon Wild, told the Liverpool Echo: "I am absolutely devastated that this has happened and I ask the powers that be hold a full investigation into this fire and the outcome is that this building is somehow rebuilt."
It is not known what started the fire, and no injuries have been reported.