CHILDREN are being blamed for a fire at one of Bury's listed buildings.

A motorist pulled up outside a disused shoe factory in Prospect Terrace and saw a number of teenagers running from the premises. Within seconds, smoke and flames began pouring from the Grade II Listed Building.

Firefighters from Bury were called to the scene at 7pm on Monday of last week (December 22). Eight crew members wearing breathing apparatus entered the building to tackle the fire.

A quantity of rubbish in the old factory had been set alight but firefighters prevented the flames from damaging the structure of the old factory.