ARSONISTS are thought to be responsible for starting a fire which swept though an empty cinema.

Fire crews were called to the building on Dale Street, Radcliffe, at 8.30pm after a passer by spotted smoke billowing from one of the windows.

A small room on the ground floor was alight and the entire building had become smoke-logged.

Firefighters spent more than two hours putting out the flames and making sure there was nobody left inside.