A village pub just over the north Shropshire border has been destroyed in an arson attack, officials said today.

Firefighters spent nine hours battling the raging inferno at the Dymock Arms, in Penley, near Ellesmere.

Crews said the blaze was well alight when they arrived and that flames could be seen shooting 10ft into the night sky.

Appliances from Ellesmere and Whitchurch joined two fire crews from Wrexham at the scene after being called out at about 2.30am yesterday.

At least two crew members were sent into the burning building to tackle the fire wearing breathing apparatus.

Steve Moorhouse, watch manager at Ellesmere fire station, said: “When I saw it I thought ‘blimey’. The flames were going at least 10 feet into the air.”

He added that nobody was inside at the time and nobody was injured or needed rescuing.

The pub, which had been trading in the days before the blaze, is understood to have suffered substantial structural damage which is likely to cost thousands to repair. Fire officials said it had suffered 60 per cent fire damage and 100 per cent water and smoke damage.

Richard Fairhead, senior fire safety manager at North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said the blaze had been started deliberately, adding: “This is a worrying incident as there was a serious possibility that the fire could have developed unnoticed putting lives of the public and the firefighters at risk.”

Police said the A539 road was partially blocked yesterday while emergency crews dealt with the incident.