Himley’s Crooked House pub, one of the most well-known sites in the Black Country has been destroyed by fire.

The news was confirmed by a number of posts on social media, which showed flames engulfing the listed 18th century building on Himley Road,

Smoke was reported coming from the building at about 10pm on Saturday night. Pictures from scene showed the property, which drastically subsided in the 19th Century, engulfed by flames.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said no-one was believed to be inside the building at the time and no injuries had been reported.

An investigation has been launched by Staffordshire Police and the fire service to determine the cause of the blaze.

Six fire crews tackled the flames overnight and by Sunday morning the fire was largely extinguished.

It follows the recent closure and sale of the building by Marstons after ‘tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage’ was caused during a break in.

It seemed unlikely that the pub would ever re-open, following confirmation it had been sold to a private buyer. The guide price for the sale was £675,000 and The Crooked House was one of 61 pubs being sold off by the Marston's group.