Police have confirmed they believe there is a body inside the derelict building in Hanley where there has been a huge blaze this week.

The large cordon is still in place around Brockley Square and police are continuing to search the area and appeal for information.

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "At this time, we can sadly confirm that we believe there is a body inside, but we're unable to carry out a search until the area is deemed safe.

"We will share updates as soon as we're able to.

Police and fire crews were first called to Brockley Square at 5.45am on Tuesday (Nub News).

"A 63-year-old man, of no fixed address, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson with intent to endanger life, remain in custody today.

"The 33-year-old woman, from Stoke-on-Trent, who was arrested on suspicion of the same offence, has been released on conditional police bail while enquiries continue.

"We know the cordon is causing disruption to local people and businesses and we'd like to thank people for their patience and understanding at this time. We will start to scale it down as soon as it's safe to do so."

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