A VACANT scout hut outside a church was burned to the ground today.
The wooden building, in the grounds of the Methodist Church in Tottington Road, Harwood, was found ablaze at around 4.20pm.
Ten firefighters - a crew and engine each from Bolton Central and Bury Fire Stations - attended to fight the fire but could not save the building.
One firefighter said: "We have been plagued by small fires in the past and have had many small fires in and around the area but this one was fully ignited and destroyed the whole hut.
"We spent a couple of hours there and we're putting it down as a deliberate ignition.
"A number of youths were seen in the area."
No-one was in the building at the time the fire broke out.
The hut, along with the neighbouring church, church hall, church grounds and car park, were put up for sale by Harwood Methodist Church last year with a price tag of £500,000.
It is not clear if the church and auxiliary buildings were sold.
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