Fire investigators have confirmed that the blaze which ripped through a former primary school building in Harwich was probably caused by lightning.

Detective Sergeant Rennie Chivers, arson investigator for Essex Police, said: "We have concluded our investigation and the bottom line is that although we can't be 100 per cent certain as to how the fire started, it was probably the result of a lightning strike."

He believes the fire started from the roof of the building and then burning items dropped down to the ground and continued to burn.

He said: "The roof has virtually gone and there were burning items down on the ground floor."

He said investigators were unable to find a lightning conductor at the scene, a piece of copper usually installed on tall buildings to protect against lightning strikes.

He said the bell tower, which has a metallic bell and a weather vane with a spike on the top, could have attracted the lightning that would have hit the building at about 4.20am during the thunderstorm of May 28.

Mr Chivers said a line has now been drawn under the investigation.

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