A MILL under renovation was the target of firebugs who torched rubbish in the old loading bay.

Fire crews arrived at the mill opposite Bentinck Street in Bolton at 11.30pm.

They found the ground floor well alight and smoke filling the other floors.

Station officer Steve Carey, from Bolton Central, said there was evidence that the fire had been started maliciously in the loading bay.

Officers used breathing apparatus to ensure no one was in the building. A high powered ventilation fan was also used to clear the smoke.

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