AN AMATEUR rugby league club's training barn has been damaged in a fire.

Firefighters attended the blaze at Thatto Heath Crusaders' facility on Friday evening, August 26.

Firefighters spent more than 90 minutes at the scene tackling the flames.

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One of the club's team Twitter accounts said it is thought the fire was started deliberately.

An official investigation into the cause remains ongoing, a Merseyside Fire & Service spokesman said.

St Helens Star: Damage caused to the barn Pic: @thattogirlsu12 (Twitter)Damage caused to the barn Pic: @thattogirlsu12 (Twitter)

The MFRS spokesman said: "Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service attended an incident on Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath, St Helens on the evening of Friday August 26.

"Crews were alerted at 4.30pm and on scene at 4.35pm. Three fire engines attended.

"On arrival, crews were met with a single-storey steel frame building approximately 30m x 30m, well alight."

He added: "Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus (BA) used one hose reel jet initially to fight the fire, with a further two firefighters in BA then utilising a high pressure hose reel to hotspot.

"The fire was extinguished shortly after and crews continued to damp down.

"Merseyside Police were also in attendance as part of a joint-investigation to determine the cause of the fire, this is still ongoing.

"Our crews left the scene at 6.16pm."

St Helens Star: The aftermath of the fire Pic: @thattogirlsu12 (Twitter)The aftermath of the fire Pic: @thattogirlsu12 (Twitter)

Thatto Heath's Under 12s girls' Twitter account posted: "Yesterday some local youths set the barn on fire.

"Thankfully no one was using it at the time.

"This is used by a lot people for football, the @Saints1890 @saints1890women  but also our younger teams use it.

"It’s horrible and will cost to rebuild."

 

The club's training barn was previosuly targeted in an arson in January 2020.