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Man arrested on suspicion of arson after fire at pub

Owen SennittNorfolk
Edd Smith/BBC Police tape runs across the entrance to a blue-coloured pub building, with a badly damaged roof caused by a fire in view on a sunny dayEdd Smith/BBC
The pub's roof was damaged in the blaze

A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of arson and endangering life following a pub fire near Norwich.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service were called to a blaze at the Old Mill in Drayton, Thorpe Marriott, at 03:46 BST on Monday, 13 April.

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said the man has since been released on bail until 14 July, and officers are continuing to investigate the fire.

Greene King, which owns the pub, said the venue would be shut while damage was assessed. It previously said it was "extremely grateful for the swift actions of emergency services", and no-one was harmed or injured.

Edd Smith/BBC Mark and Carol Wenn standing in front of a police cordon at The Old Mill pub in Thorpe Marriott. Standing on the left is Mark who is wearing a black T-shirt and blue jacket. He is also wearing a pair of sunglasses over his eyes. Carol, on the right, is wearing a black and white coat, she has blonde hair and a pair of glasses rested on the top of her head.Edd Smith/BBC
Mark and Carol Wenn thanked people for their support.

Mark and Carol Wenn, who live in a flat within the pub and were inside at the time of the fire, posted on social media to say they have had to move out.

The couple added: "This has been an incredibly difficult time for us, but we want to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone who has reached out with support, kindness, and offers of help.

"It truly means a great deal to us, and we are deeply grateful to be part of such a caring community."

The pair encouraged anyone with CCTV footage of the area taken between 02:30 and 03:45 GMT from Monday, 13 April, to speak with the police.

The pub recently underwent a £500,000 renovation 18 months ago.

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