After a month-long investigation, the cause of the huge blaze which gutted the Gateway to Wales hotel has been revealed.

Fire tore through the Deeside landmark in the early hours of December 18, 2017.

Now investigators have revealed they believe the 'most probable' cause of the blaze was electrical, our sister site The Daily Post reports.

The 47 guests staying at the hotel, including children, managed to escape unharmed thanks to smoke alarms sounding and the heroic actions of a night porter who shouted for people to evacuate.

The hotel’s roof was destroyed during the inferno and drone footage of the building shows exposed twisted piping and debris strewn inside the bare walls.

The smashed windows have also been boarded up.

It is not yet known if the building will be demolished or if there are any hopes of salvaging the site.

Flintshire county councillor for Sealand, Christine Jones, said: “It is sad to see the hotel in such an awful state. It is now an eyesore and is the first thing you see coming into Wales on that road.

“It needs to be made safe as soon as possible and if that means it has to be demolished then that is what will have to happen.”

County councillor for Queensferry, David Wisinger, added: “I am just glad everybody got out unharmed. It needs to be made safe and if it needs to be knocked down, so be it.”

After the fire, the hotel’s bosses posted on Facebook: “As a result of the fire at the hotel earlier today, we regret to announce that the hotel is no longer operational for the foreseeable future.”

There has been no further update from the owners regarding the future of the hotel.