A FORMER barman has pleaded guilty to gutting a landmark village pub in an arson attack and being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Leigh Meeks, 33, owned up to setting fire to The Fleece, in Main Street, Addingham, when he made his first appearance at Bradford Crown Court today.

Meeks was a former barman at The Craven Heifer and was living at The Fleece until shortly before the arson attack.

He was warned to expect a long prison sentence when he is back in court on November 12.

Dark-haired Meeks, who is being held in custody, has a short beard and was wearing a light grey jumper, blue shirt and dark blue tracksuit bottoms.

He denied a charge of arson with intent to endanger life in the early hours of Wednesday, September 23, but admitted an alternative offence of arson to destroy or damage the pub and being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Two chefs sleeping in a flat attached to the building were rescued by firefighters and treated for smoke inhalation

Andrew Horton, lawyer for the Crown, said Meeks' case was that he started the blaze but did not anticipate the devastation it would cause.

Mr Horton told the court that because the building was virtually gutted it was difficult for experts to determine exactly where the fire was set.

He said the Crown Prosecution Service would notify the court within two weeks if Meeks' guilty plea to reckless arson was not acceptable to the prosecution.

Meeks' solicitor advocate, Assumpta O'Rourke, said the defence team had commissioned a psychiatric report. Plans were in hand for a specialist doctor to visit Meeks in prison.

Miss O'Rourke asked for a report from the probation service to assist the sentencing judge at the next hearing.

She made no application for bail.

Judge Peter Benson told Meeks, of School Lane, Addingham: "You must understand that this is a very serious matter and a significant sentence of custody will inevitably follow."

Meeks, who remained impassive throughout the hearing, was led back down to the cells by two dock officers.

The Fleece, owned by The Well Fed Pub company that employed Meeks as a barman, was devastated by the 4am fire.

Thirty five firefighters in six fire engines tackled the blaze that destroyed both of the pub's historic barns.

Two chefs asleep in a flat adjacent to the main building were woken by firefighters and treated for smoke inhalation.

Villagers rushed from their homes to alert neighbours, fearing the fire could spread to nearby houses.

Craig Minto, director of The Well Fed Pub company, said at the time that the business was relocating to The Craven Heifer, also in Main Street, while rebuilding work went ahead.