Firefighters doused a burning pile of rubbish in an external stairwell next to the Hilton hotel in Bradford.

Crews from Bradford, Odsal and Idle stations were called out shortly before 5.30pm today. They had put out the fire, which had been deliberately started, by about 5.40pm.

A fire service spokesman said smoke from the small fire, which was on the stairwell between the hotel and the NCP car park entrance in Hall Ings, had got into the hotel but the building did not need to be evacuated.