Police are searching for three boys who are suspected of causing a major school fire. 

The former site of Overdale School behind Hawthorn Walk, Scarborough went up in smoke yesterday evening. 

It took five fire crews to combat the fire and bring it under control. 

Scarborough police have issued descriptions of two of the teenagers they believed started the blaze. 

The first is thin, white, around 15 years old and had a bowl haircut. He was wearing a black jacket with white panels across it and black tracksuit trousers.

The second is around 13 years old, white, chubby, with a black jacket, blue hoodie and grey jogging trousers.

Police have yet to issue a description of the third boy. 

Update 5pm: read about an arrest in the hunt here

Overdale School opened in its new site in Ashmead Square in Eastfield at the start of this term.

The former school building was well alight when the first firefighters reached the scene from Scarborough and Filey fire stations.

They immediately called in their colleagues from Sherburn near Scarborough, Robin Hoods Bay and Pickering.

They had to use an aerial ladder platform and two main jets to bring the fire under control and extinguish it.