WHITEFIELD'S former town hall, built 200 years ago, has been targeted by arsonists.

The alarm was raised shortly after 5pm on Tuesday by passers-by who spotted smoke pouring through the boarded-up ground floor windows of the Georgian mansion.

Two fire crews from Whitefield turned out to the Bury New Road building and officers wearing breathing apparatus battled their way through thick fumes and flames to tackle the blaze.

Despite extinguishing the fire on both floors, crews were forced to retreat to safety when the burned ground floor collapsed into the basement.

They kept the building under observation throughout the night until first light on Wednesday when a building inspector gave the green light for firemen to return to dampen down smouldering embers in the cellar.

The derelict building has now been secured and police are investigating.

The building was built by a cotton manufacturer Edward Barlow around 1805. In 1997, permission was granted by Bury Council for it to be turned into a nursing home.

Applicants Lemon Park Construction Ltd renewed their application to build a 50-bed residential care home in 2004 but the building has remained derelict and subject to vandalism for almost 10 years.

Pinfold Lane resident Terry Thorpe voiced his concern at the state of the historical building after the fire attack.

He said: "I cannot see why the property has been allowed to get in this condition. I don't like the thought that there are smashed vodka bottles and drugs paraphanelia in the house. I just cannot accept what is happening to it."

Mr Thorpe said he intended to contact Bury South MP and Whitefield Police about the situation.