Arson attack on former Oswestry leisure centre

Fire crews and police from across the county were called to the old Oswestry Leisure Centre in College Road to deal with the fire in the now disused building.

The fire broke out just before 4.30pm yesterday, with initial reports suggesting two people might still be in the building. It was later confirmed by police that there were no people inside.

Steve Purslow, from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "On the arrival of the first crew they were able to see a lot of smoke coming from the building and the caretaker informed us that there were possibly some people inside. There could've been someone sleeping in there or someone who had broken in to play, so we had possible persons trapped.

"That meant we mobilised five appliances from Oswestry, Ellesmere, Shrewsbury, Telford and Tweedale. We were also assisted by crews from North Wales. What we had was a number of small fires in the disused swimming pool area which had caused heavy smoke-logging."

Mr Purslow said they would be passing details on to the police force for further investigation. He said: "We have been out a number of times to fires within this property."

Michelle Bennett, a spokeswoman for West Mercia Police, said: "Originally the fire service did believe there were persons trapped and when we attended crews were inside conducting a full search, but nobody has been found in the building." The leisure centre closed in September 2011.

Meanwhile, firefighters from Tweedale, in Telford, were called to tackle a car fire which may have been started deliberately. One crew was sent to a home in Dovedale Fold, Dawley, at around 5.10amy.

And one man required precautionary treatment after his television caught fire at his home in Park Lane, Madeley.

Firefighters were called to the home at around 5.40am but found the fire out on arrival.