STARK warnings that Skipton's Burnside House would be vandalised beyond repair if it was left empty were compounded when a fire ripped through it this week.

For two years residents and councillors have been calling for the former children's home to be put to community use. But it was still derelict when arsonists broke in and set fire to the listed building on Monday night.

It is thought the fire could have been smouldering for two hours before firefighter Patrick Graham raised the alarm. He spotted smoke billowing from the roof on his return from another job at 10.08pm.

Four appliances and a water platform were sent and firefighters spent hours tackling the blaze. The roof was destroyed and the fire caused serious internal damage.

Mr Graham, who lives nearby, thought the fire had been started at the base of the main stairwell. He said that boarding over the windows had been pulled off some time during Monday.

John Manley, whose home adjoins the property, said he was not surprised the building had been set on fire.

During the last year he has phoned police about 30 times complaining about vandals and youths hanging around in the derelict property.

Several times he has warned social services and the county council, which own the building, that security needed stepping up and thought they had been "seriously negligent" in its upkeep and protection.

"If the building has to be pulled down it will be shameful. It is a bit of Skipton's heritage and was a magnificent Victorian manor house," said Mr Manley.

A spokesman for the county council said: "It is a very regrettable incident and it is extremely fortunate that no one was hurt. We have had many problems with the building, keeping it secure, and there have been repeated break-ins despite our best efforts to secure the property.

"We have now made the site secure with boarding and fencing and we hope that people will stay out of the property.

"We are considering all the options for its future as a matter of urgency and one of those options would be to demolish it, although we need to talk extensively with the planning authorities before taking any action."

County Councillor Mike Doyle, who has been campaigning to have the building re-used, said: "There must now be serious questions about the effectiveness of the security procedures put in place by the county council.

"I have been calling for Burnside to be brought into community use, with beneficial tenants, because I feared just such an event as occurred on Monday.

"The county council's lackadaisical, legalistic and arrogantly compartmentalised administration has deprived Skipton of a fine building and a facility that the community could have made good use of."

The county council has tried to sell the site for residential development but had come up against planning problems, and it did not want to enter into a short-term lease with a community club.

Most recently the newly-formed Craven Community House Enterprise group had announced it was interested in the building as a base for various groups.

Coun Polly English added: "It is just a disaster. If only North Yorkshire had agreed last year to use this as a kids' club or something. It was just a disaster waiting to happen."

Acting Detective Sergeant Dave Ellis said police were urging witnesses who saw anything at Burnside House on Monday night to come forward.

"It is an historical building and we are treating it as a very serious crime because of the high value of damage."

From a public safety point of view he urged people not to enter the building as it was dangerous and said officers would be doing spot checks to ensure no one was inside.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Skipton police on 01756 793377 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.