Fire at historic Greyhound and Punchbowl pub in Bilston treated as suspected arson

A fire which caused severe damage to a Grade II listed pub in Bilston, near Wolverhampton, is being treated as suspected arson according to police.

Emergency services were called to the Greyhound and Punchbowl pub on Bilston High Street, at around 3:40am on Saturday 30 September.

The building, constructed in the mid 1500's, was badly damaged by the fire.

Nobody was injured in the fire.

The pub is five miles from the site of the Crooked House pub near Dudley, which was destroyed by a fire and demolished shortly after.

West Midlands Police said: "We are continuing our enquiries into a suspected arson attack at the Greyhound and Punchbowl in Bilston.

"Officers are carrying out CCTV and door to door enquiries to find out more about the circumstances of how the fire started.

"We were called shortly after 4am on 30 September to support West Midlands Fire Service, who believed the fire had been started deliberately. We are hoping anyone who was in the area may have seen more, so anyone with further information can contact us via LiveChat or 101 quoting log 585 of 30 September."