Staffordshire Police is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire at The Crooked House last Saturday (5 August) and is now treating the incident as arson.

Police say: "This fire has shocked and upset so many given the, albeit not listed, cultural importance and heritage of the building. This is not lost on us and a robust investigation using all available information and forensic opportunities is being carried out.

"We have spoken to, and continue to engage, with the owners. However, speculation is extremely unhelpful and could hinder our investigation."

A joint investigation has been launched with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service but fire investigators have confirmed that the cause of the fire cannot currently be determined.

Fire investigators have confirmed that the cause of the fire cannot currently be determined (SWNS).

Police are following up on a number of lines of enquiry.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Chisholm, Head of Specialist Crime, said: "We understand the significance of this much-loved building and the upset and anger felt by many so want to reassure you we're doing all we can to understand more about what happened, and who was responsible.

"There is lots of misinformation circulating within communities and online and this is unhelpful. We're trying to provide accurate and timely updates, but as I am sure you can appreciate, there is a lot of work and liaison with a number of partners which needs to be completed and this takes time.

"There are also certain things that police and fire do not have the powers to deal with, the decision around partial demolition of the building for example, when the scene was handed back to the owner.

"We are working hard with our fire colleagues to understand the cause of the fire and are in contact with the landowner, we will keep you updated with any further significant developments."

Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue service have launched a joint investigation into the incident (SWNS).

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