ARSONISTS who torched a historic building are still being hunted by police.

In December, the former Wesley nightclub and church in Hartlepool went up in flames after a fire was deliberately set.

The building, which had been disused for several years, was seriously damaged in the blaze despite the best efforts of firefighters who worked throughout the night to tackle the fire.

Shocked revellers watched flames rise 20ft in the air as the fire threatened to consume the derelict former nightspot and place of worship, a listed building that dates back to 1872 and is owned by developers Jomast.

The roof collapsed as a result of the fire, though the structural integrity of the building was not severely impacted in the blaze.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said that the force had followed “numerous lines of inquiry” during its investigation.

She said: “Unfortunately, a suspect for the fire has not yet been identified.

“We will, however, act upon any new information that we receive and we urge anyone who can assist to contact us.”

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting event SE17223450 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.