POLICE are probing the cause of a fire at a derelict Southampton pub.

Emergency services rushed to battle a blaze at the Bridge Tavern on Coxford Road last night.

Officers investigating the incident are treating the cause of the fire as "suspicious" and believe it started from a pile of rubbish.

Crews from St Marys, Redbridge and Totton fire stations were all on the scene to tackle the blaze.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services received the emergency call at 6.49pm after it is believed someone broke in and started the blaze.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Police said: "The fire is been treated as a suspicious incident at the moment but the cause of the fire is unknown though it appears to have been in a pile of rubbish."

A spokesperson from HFRS at the scene told the Daily Echo that the roof "was well alight" upon arrival.

He added: "When we arrived we could see fire coming out of the holes [at the bottom of the building].

"Someone had broken in there so we had to check there were no casualties.

"Two crews were sent into the building.

"The first to extinguish the fire, and the second to search the building and make sure there was no one in there."

No one was injured.

Anyone with any information relating to the fire is urged to call 101 quoting crime reference number 44190318297.