A FIRE believed to be caused by a discarded cigarette broke out at the popular Sportsmans Arms pub in Penketh in the early hours of Monday morning.

Two crews from Warrington and Penketh Fire Stations were called to the scene at around 2.25am.

They discovered the decking in front of the pub in flames and used a hose reel jet to bring the blaze under control.

The pub thanked firefighters and a 'good samaritan' who alerted them to the fire.

Luckily nobody was reported hurt at the scene.

The Warrington Road pub was listed an asset of community value in July 2016 after residents campaigned to stop it becoming a Netto supermarket.

In November planning permission was submitted for the pub to be refurbished and six houses built on unused land at the site.