Pontins blaze was 'most likely deliberate', says firefighter

The commander in charge of fighting a major fire at a former holiday camp says it was probably started deliberately.

Around 80 firefighters were needed to tackle the blaze at the old Pontins site in Hemsby overnight and at least a dozen remained on the scene on Saturday morning.

Tim Edwards, who was in charge of crewing the shout, said the Beach Road camp was a frequent target for arsonists. It closed to visitors in 2009 and has stood derelict ever since.

The Norfolk Fire Service area manager said crews from Great Yarmouth and Gorleston were the first on the scene. They faced a ferocious fire which spread through the main building in an explosion known as a "flashover".

The three remaining crews, and a high-reach appliance, are likely to remaining at Beach Road for most of Saturday.