A FIRE in a derelict 57-room grade two listed Minehead manor house, which destroyed 50 per cent of part of the building, was probably started deliberately, police and firefighters said this week.

Crews from Minehead, Bridgwater, Porlock and Williton were called to Periton Mead, a former boarding school on the outskirts of the town, on Friday evening to tackle a blaze in a two-storey building formerly used as classrooms and a gym.

A Devon and Somerset Fire Service spokesman said: “The fire was located on the ground floor of the building and about 50 per cent was destroyed. The cause of the fire was believed to be deliberate. Police also attended and are carrying out further investigations.

“Crews were able to stop the fire spreading to the main gym hall and the old school building has not been damaged by the fire. Anyone who has further information relating to the incident is advised to contact the police.

Periton Mead was built as a private house in the ‘arts and crafts’ style in 1923 and for many years was a school for children with special needs until it closed in 2000, and has been empty ever since.

In 2017, planning permission was granted for the house to be converted into 14 flats, plus 17 homes to be built in the grounds but no development has yet started.