A fire which broke out at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is being treated as a suspected arson attack.
Merseyside Police said they were contacted by Merseyside Fire and Rescue on Sunday to reports the fire had broken out at 6.40am and had caused damage to the fire doors and gallery at the cathedral, on Mount Pleasant. The cause of the fire is being treated as arson, police said.
An investigation between Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is currently underway. A man who works at the cathedral said he arrived on Sunday morning "to find police and fire everywhere and the cathedral filled with a vile smell of burning".
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A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said crews were alerted at 6.49am and on scene at 6.53am. Three fire engines attended.
On arrival firefighters found a side entrance doorway of the church involved in fire. The fire had been extinguished by 7.08am and crews left the scene at 11.32am.
No injuries were reported and CCTV and witness enquiries are being carried out in the local area. Detective Inspector Neil Dillon said: “Thankfully the fire did not enter the main part of the cathedral itself but there is some smoke damage inside.
"It obviously could have been a lot worse. There was nobody present inside the cathedral at the time and no reports of anyone being injured. We are carrying out a number of lines of enquiry.
"I would ask anyone who was in the area of Mount Pleasant yesterday morning who saw anything suspicious or has any information which could assist the investigation to DM @MerPolCC or @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 quoting log 414 of 29th May.”
