Liverpool fire: Huge blaze breaks out at 'iconic' Littlewoods building

Six fire crews battle to bring flames under control

Firefighters are battling a large blaze at the "iconic" Littlewoods Building in Liverpool.

Six fire crews are at the scene of the Art-Deco structure, with an area measuring 200m by 100m on fire from the first floor of the building upwards, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) said.

Firefighters using breathing apparatus have entered the building to tackle the fire, and two main jets are being used to douse the flames from the outside.

There are no reports of injuries.

The fire service was told about the fire shortly before 8pm and were on scene within four minutes, but firefighters found the roof of the building already well alight.

The block, on Edge Lane, Liverpool, was opened in 1938 was part of the Littlewoods empire, built up by business magnate Sir John Moores.

It once housed thousands of workers counting millions of pools coupons and played a key role in Britain’s war effort, with the factory producing parts for aircraft.

But the structure has stood empty since 2003, with a series of developments falling through.

The building was recently been sold with a plan to redevelop the site to become a major film and television studio hub, creating 350 jobs.

Twickenham Studios has signed a deal with developer Capital & Centric to create a £50m northern base at the site.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson tweeted: “Absolutely heartbreaking news that the iconic Littlewoods Building is ablaze, looks pretty bad at this stage, let’s hope and pray its salvageable.”

A police cordon is in place and the the fire service say the incident is ongoing.

Press Association contributed to this report