FIRE broke out in a derelict Worcester pub in the early hours yesterday.

Three appliances attended the Red Lion, on the corner of Wyld's Lane and Sidbury, after a call at 2.15am.

The pub was undergoing a major renovation, to convert it into a shop and homes.

Firefighters took 30 minutes to tackle the blaze, which was mainly in the roof space. The fire brigade was investigating the cause of the fire today.

The Red Lion pub has been empty for more than five years and has been the scene of several fires.

In 1996 an escaped convict used the pub as a hideaway before being captured by police.