THE GRADE Two-listed Liscard Hall in Wallasey has been severely damaged in a night-time blaze.

Firefighters from across Wirral and Liverpool were called to tackle the fire shortly after 3.15am on Monday morning.

A roof collapsed in the former science and art college building in Central Park, Wallasey, as the council-owned building was engulfed in flames that spread across two of the three floors.

Five pumps and an aerial appliance were used in an effort to contain the spread. Crews managed to get the fire under control but were still there at 1pm that day damping the area down.

No-one was injured and police are investigating the cause.

Liscard Hall was built in the mid-19th century and is one of the longest surviving mansions built in that era. It closed in 1982 and has been vacant since.

Liscard councillor Leah Fraser, who was on hand to witness the damping down on Monday, said: “While it looks like yobs are the cause of this fire, I’m afraid the council must also take some of the responsibility. The council has allowed this building to fall into disrepair. “The problem started when the Government pulled funding for the local apprentice training scheme that was using the building. Ever since then, the council has dithered in what to do with it – promises of ‘community use’ came to nothing and sadly, we can now see the result. “Then, in the last few months, we have learned that private developers were looking at this building to turn it into private flats and the council, in the meantime spent £25,000 to make the building secure.”

A spokesman for Wirral Council said: “Following incidents of vandalism, council officers took advice on improving the security of the hall. As a result, all reasonable steps have been taken to secure the building. We remain hopeful of presenting proposals to councillors in August on the hall’s future.”