A SUSPECTED arson attack, which led to more than 300 guests being evacuated from one of the region's best known hotels, is being investigated.

No one was seriously injured, but two people were taken to hospital for check-ups and the seafront hotel, The Grand, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, suffered extensive smoke damage.

While fire crews from Scarborough and Filey tackled the blaze, on Wednesday evening, 340 guests were sent to another hotel.

Yesterday, police officers were trying to find out why curtains in the ballroom went up in flames.

Detective Sergeant Paul Thompson, of Scarborough Police, said he believed the fire was started deliberately.

The hotel has already had to close its doors a number of times over the past few years due to contamination by the sickness virus Norwalk.