Ackergill Tower blaze ‘suspicious' say police

A blaze at the 15th century Ackergill Tower hotel in Caithness, Scotland, is being treated as suspicious.

The fire took hold in the early hours of yesterday morning (5 January) and caused smoke damage to all five storeys of the five-star, 35-room property.

Two crews were dispatched from Wick to tackle the fire, which completely destroyed the building's cellar.

There was no-one in the building at the time of the blaze, according to the Scottish Herald.

Ackergill Tower, a listed building, is owned by Clarenco, a group whose founder and chairman is Mike Clare, who made his millions at the helm of former bedroom furniture company, Dreams.

The hotel is used to host weddings, corporate events and other celebrations, as well as for exclusive use. It has also been used several times as a film location.

Police Scotland were appealing for anyone with information or who may have seen someone acting suspiciously in the area to contact them.