AN historic building in Goole has been demolished after a second suspected arsonist attack in just six months.

Firefighters were called out to New Potter Grange, near Oakhill, in the early hours of Monday where they found all three floors of the former Victorian farmhouse engulfed in flames.

At the height of the fire, two crews from Goole used an aerial platform and two water jets to tackle the blaze from above but they were unable to extinguish the fire totally because the building was deemed unsafe.

Fearing there could have been someone sleeping rough in the property, the Fire Service sought advice from the East Riding Building Control Officers.

Glenn Ramsden Of Humberside Fire and Rescue said: "A decision was then made that partial demolition would allow the house to be made safe and crews to enter to carry out a search."

This was not successful because of the building being in such a dangerous state and by late Monday afternoon, the decision was taken to demolish the whole building.

It has since been confirmed that no-one was inside at the time of the blaze.

Gary Cartmell, spokesman for site owners, Sterling Capitol, said: "Our main concern has always been the safety of the general public and Capitol workers.

"We have a duty of care and do not want anyone hurt in any way.

"The Fire Service and East Riding Council Building Control Officers told us the site was unsafe.

"It was not a listed building so we have had to have it demolished."

Friends of Oakhill member Coun Pat O'Neil said she was very saddened by the loss of the building, which was regarded as a fine example of its period and was also home to a large colony of bats.

"The house was a maternity roost and it is believed there were around 100 bats and 40 babies in there. I just hope some managed to escape."

The Friends had been campaigning to have the house turned into an educational visitor centre.

Meanwhile, Sterling Capitol currently has a planning application going through the process to build a bat roost on the site.

A Humberside Police spokesman said they were treating the fire as suspicious and asked anyone with any information to contact them on 0845 6060222.