Latest: 55 & 62-year-old man arrested after Wirral blast

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit arson after an explosion which injured 34 people.

Several buildings collapsed in the explosion in New Ferry, Wirral, on Saturday March 25.

Merseyside Police said two men were arrested on Wednesday morning after officers carried out warrants at addresses in North Wales and Wirral.

A 62-year-old man, from the North Wales area, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit arson with intent/being reckless as to whether life was endangered and an offence under the Fraud Act 2006.

A 55-year-old man, from Wirral, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit arson with intent/being reckless as to whether life was endangered and an offence under the Fraud Act 2006.

Both men will be questioned by detectives today.

Two people were seriously injured in the blast, which left debris scattered along the street and forced the evacuation of people from the surrounding area to a nearby church.

The explosion, at 9.15pm, destroyed a dance studio where children had been just an hour before and blew in the front of a Chinese restaurant.

Police investigating the blast had appealed for anyone with footage or photos of the area immediately before or during the explosion to come forward.