Cause of Newmarket's White Lion pub fire under investigation

The cause of a fire at a boarded up Newmarket pub is under investigation.

On Saturday firefighters were called to the White Lion, High Street, after smoke was seen coming from the building.

Fire engines arrived to the scene at about 1.30pm, with crews from Newmarket, Soham, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich battling to extinguish the blaze until about 5pm.

Crew Commander Matt Lee said he could not comment on the cause of the fire because of an on-going investigation.

"It started in the first floor bedroom at the front. All the floor had given away and it fell through and there was quite substantial damage," he said.

The firefighter said the blaze began in joists in the floor, which had been 'smouldering for some time'.

In 2015 the property won the backing of Forest Heath District Council planners to convert the former pub into seven flats but re-development of the building has not yet begun.