A DERELICT house due for demolition today was deliberately set alight in York, a fire service spokeswoman said today.

The house, at 163 Huntington Road, was set ablaze yesterday evening.

Fire crews attended but by that time the fire was well alight in the roof of the house.

The building was believed to be used by vagrants for shelter, but was empty at the time of the incident, and no-one was hurt. The demolition was expected to go ahead today.

Updated: 10:32 Monday, July 14, 2003