A DERELICT nightclub in Worcester has been left dangerously unsafe after it was wrecked in a suspected arson attack.

Fire broke out at the abandoned Zig Zag club in St John's just after 7pm on Thursday.

Although it is not known what caused the blaze, firefighters have confirmed it was probably started deliberately and possibly by children.

Station manager Brendon Connolly said: "From the evidence it looks like the fire was deliberate.

"The building is still too unsafe for us to get in and conduct a thorough investigation.

"But there is no electricity and the fire started on the second floor, which strongly suggests it was started deliberately - by whom we don't know.

"I'd imagine it was probably kids. A few weeks ago there were reports of some hanging out in the building."

Mr Connolly said that it was now up to the owners - supermarket giant Sainsbury's - whether the building is demolished. "The building is very unsafe," he said. "The owners need to make it secure to stop people from getting in. If it was kids and they try to get back in, they could easily fall through the floor and hurt themselves."

Sainsbury's has permission to build a new superstore on the St John's sports centre site behind the former nightclub and has bought several nearby sites as part of the development.

Jamie Cowen, Sainsbury's regional development executive, said: "We are in contact with the emergency services and have a contractor on site to secure the building and oversee works."

He said that the supermarket's priority was making it safe.

A crowd of people watched as 30 firefighters and five fire engines spent Thursday night tackling the fire, which completely destroyed the building's roof.

Paul Amos, area manager for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said: "When the first pumps arrived they were faced with a well developed fire - the roof had burnt away and the flames were 25/30 metres into the air. Immediately we asked for reinforcements."

The building, which up until 1959 housed the St John's Cinema, was cordoned off from the public all day yesterday and Malvern Road was closed to traffic into the evening.

There was concern the shops either side of the building could have also suffered structural damage. However, the businesses said they were not affected.

Mandy Clarke, who works at nearby copy shop First Paige, said: "It's a shame because, on the one hand, it was an eyesore but on the other it was really historic place and a lot of people have a lot of memories of it."

THE St John's Cinema was built on the site of the old King's Head pub, which was demolished just before the First World War.

The cinema seated 600 people and people would queue right down to the Bull Ring to get in.

During the Second World War it was run by Odeon Theatres Ltd.

It eventually closed in June 1959.

In the late 60s, plans to turn it into a bingo hall were put forward but then abandoned.

In the 1980s, after over two decades of standing empty, the building re-opened as a nightclub and entertainment complex.

Over the years, the nightclub changed hands several times and was known as Tanya's, Picasso's and then Zig Zags.

After Zig Zags closed, Sainsbury's bought the building, along with the neighbouring Smoke Stack pub and a row of units in the Bull Ring.