ARSONISTS severely damaged a town centre library and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage after starting five fires in three hours.

The first floor of Haslingden library and a new lift which was due to be handed over today were destroyed after a blaze started at 8pm yesterday.

Firefighters were also called to the unoccupied Hazelwood Nursing Home, in Bury Road, at 8.46pm. The empty building was severely damaged by fire.

Three cars were also set on fire -- one at the rear of the market at 7.12pm, a second in Church Street at 9.23pm and a third in the Haslingden health centre car park at 9.48pm.

A 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old youth have been arrested in connection with the library fire and were due to be questioned later today.

Police said all the fires were linked and were being treated as suspicious.

Four fire crews from Accrington attended the fire at the library but when they arrived the top floor was already well alight.

They managed to spread plastic sheets across books and computers on the ground floor but the exhibition room suffered extensive fire damage.

Branch librarian, Victor Marcinkiewicz, said: "The fire was well established when I got here about 8.30am. There is some water damage to the library but we managed to save most of the books. The building was built in 1860 and there is a lot of wood.

"We had just got a new lift for disabled people and it was due to be handed over.

"There are a lot of windows gone through upstairs as well which are being boarded up and we had six light fittings and spot lights in the exhibition room which will need checking.

"The damage could be thousands of pounds." The library's divisional librarian will visit today to decide the future of the building.

Sub officer Dave Leeming said: "Four fire fighters in breathing apparatus fought the fire inside. It was well alight when we arrived but because the fire doors had been closed the fire was confined to one room.

"We were there about two and a half hours. The fire investigation dog was also used and found what could possibly be flammable liquid but we are not sure of the exact cause."