Dance school devastated by late-night blaze

A dance school has been forced to close temporarily after it was ravaged by fire.

Louise Edge, owner of Jade Studios in Clubmoor, Liverpool, was called by Merseyside Fire And Rescue Service late on Wednesday night to be told the building was ablaze.

Ms Edge, 47, said the fire had caused thousands of pounds of damage to equipment that was stored in the school, which is in the former Conservative Club where John Lennon's band The Quarrymen first played with Paul McCartney as a member in 1957.

Ms Edge said she was now desperately trying to find a new venue for a community show that was supposed to be happening on Sunday.

Ms Edge said: "Someone had apparently started a fire on the other side of the fence, which it burned through, and then got into an air vent in my building and spread from there.

"The damage to the room is horrendous."

She added that special dance mats that cost £2,000 and £800 had been completely destroyed, and that she was now waiting to see when the building would be safe to reopen.

The school opened in 2012 and has about 100 children, mainly from the local area, on its books at any one time.

Efforts to raise funds in aid of the school are now underway.

Merseyside Fire And Rescue Service said: "Fire crews gained access to the building, with four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus fighting the fire in the roof space with main jets and hose reels.

"After extinguishing the main body of fire, crews checked for hot spots with Thermal Imaging Cameras and ventilated the building."

The spokesman said an investigation was ongoing.

Merseyside Police has been approached for comment.

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