Sports centre and court building "set on fire" in Derbyshire

ARSONISTS are thought to have set fire to a sports centre and former court building last night. The two buildings – within a mile of each other in Chesterfield – went up in flames between 10.30pm and 11pm. The most serious blaze was at the sports building at Queen's Park Annexe.

This picture by @grecianpiglet shows the fierce blaze at Queen's Park Annexe. pic.twitter.com/vTOnsp1Mmw

— Michael Broomhead (@micklesb) July 21, 2014

Firefighters from Chesterfield, Staveley and Clay Cross were called to the site on Boythorpe Road at 10.55pm and found the building to be engulfed in flames. Crews left the scene at about 2am and will return later this morning to investigate the cause. Just 20 minutes before the blaze, firefighters were at Chesterfield's old magistrates' court building, along West Bars. A Derbyshire fire and rescue service spokesman said a wheelie bin had been pushed up against the building and set alight, causing the flames to spread. He said police were in attendance at both fires due to the suspicious nature of the incidents.