A VILLAGE hall has temporarily closed as a result of a suspected arson attack.

Parish councillors arriving for their monthly meeting discovered the fire damage to the kitchens of Pittington Village Hall on Tuesday evening.

It is believed the extractor fan in a kitchen window was tampered with from outside, probably late on Monday.

The back of the fan appears to have been melted by fire, brushing against the curtains as it fell to the floor. Flames spread from the curtains, causing extensive fire damage to the kitchen itself and smoke damage to the rest of the building. The fire appears to have burned itself out.

The hall is well used by local people for a variety of functions, including mother-and-toddler groups, chess and martial arts clubs, which have all cancelled events as a result of the fire.

Beat officer PC Paul Blair said: "This is very unusual for Pittington, which normally has a very low crime rate.

"It could have been even worse as the building could have been burned down completely, but fortunately, the fire damage was confined to the kitchen.

"Even so, the hall will be out of action for some considerable time.

Anyone who has any information about the fire is asked to contact the police.