ARSONISTS were today blamed for a fire at York Tennis Club's pavilion in Clifton Park, York.

York Tennis Club's smoke-damaged pavilion at Clifton Park today

The inside of the pavilion was left black with soot after the blaze, which firefighters said was started deliberately.

It was the latest in a string of vandal attacks at the Shipton Road complex which is run by York Cricket and Rugby Union Football Club.

The alarm was raised just after midnight by the club steward, who lives next to the main club building.

Two fire crews took just over an hour to put the fire out.

Station Officer Nigel Phillips, based at York Fire Station, said: "This was definitely arson and we think it was youths. The police are now investigating."

John Linfoot, tennis club chairman, said the only items to be totally destroyed had been pieces of carpeting and other disused items stored in the shed where the fire was started.

But the smoke damage inside the pavilion, which is used for refreshments, meetings and shelter, had come at the worst possible time, at the beginning of the tennis season.

Secretary of the cricket and rugby club Chris Houseman said incidents in the last few weeks had included windows being smashed and damage to the cricket pitch.

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