FIREFIGHTERS battled to control a blaze which destroyed part of the roof of Chester Town Hall.

At just after 7.10am this morning (Thursday, March 23) firefighters were called to Chester Town Hall, on Northgate Street, after reports of a fire.

When crews arrived they found the section of the roof, near to The Forum shopping arcade, had caught on fire.

Three fire engines from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, and one from Ellesmere Port fire station, attended the fire, which took just over twenty minutes to put out.

Firefighters accessed the building and climbed up onto the roof to use hoses to extinguish the fire, which destroyed part of the staff relaxation and smoking area.

The fire is thought to have been started by a discarded cigarette which had been thrown into a plant pot and set the seating area on fire.

Speaking about the fire, Watch Manager Gerrard said: “I am pretty sure that someone had dropped a cigarette end in a plant pit and that had set the area a alite.

“The area was half destroyed by the fire, which was a circular area, about eight meters across used for smoking, lunchtimes and staff breaks.”