CAMPAIGNERS who fought for years to create an important Ryedale arts centre were left distraught today when it was ravaged by fire.

About 30 firefighters battled to save Helmsley's Old Meeting House from the flames which broke out soon before midnight.

But the venue, created with the help of a £270,000 Lottery grant, suffered extensive damage in the blaze.

Fire crews were today still struggling to cool the arts centre's smouldering roof.

They managed to save valuable paintings and a Steinway piano from the flames.

Part-time firefighters from Helmsley who helped at the scene have vowed to boost the restoration work that must follow.

They plan to raise cash towards putting right the damage.

A full programme of events scheduled to take place at the centre will now have to be reviewed.

Jean Kershaw, deputy chairman of the Old Meeting House Trust, saw the drama unfold.

Today she told the Evening Press: "I am devastated. I was here all night as were the firemen who have been brilliant."

One of the most badly damaged parts of the building was Mrs Kershaw's office.

"All my work from the past two years has gone up," she said.

Mrs Kershaw said she was the last to leave the building at 9.45pm last night after an art exhibition preview.

She checked all the fire doors were secure, but, because the fire was in the roof, this did little to stop the blaze spreading.

She could not say when the centre may open. "It all comes down to money," she said.

Geoff Nicholson, chairman of Helmsley Town Council, said of the fire today: "I'm afraid it's terribly sad.

"The Old Meeting House does not just serve Helmsley, it serves the district. It's been a great asset to the area.

"One presumes it will get back into business, but how long it will take I don't know."

North Yorkshire Fire Service said the fire started in a shed next to the Old Meeting House, which was thought to have stored waste from a nearby carpet shop. The fire quickly spread to the roof and was spotted by a policeman who summoned help.

Tony Lidgate, spokesman for North Yorkshire Police, said scenes of crimes officers would be working with fire investigators to discover exactly what caused the blaze. At this time the cause has not been established.

The Old Meeting House Trust was formed in 1984 with the aim of providing a centre for the arts in Ryedale.

In 1993 the building was purchased and in 1996 £270,000 worth of lottery money was given to convert the building into an arts centre.

PICTURE: The Old Meeting House at Helmsley