The fire service and police have opened an investigation into what caused a fire at a derelict property on Woodbourne Road on Friday evening.

Fire crews from Douglas station were dispatched by the Emergency Services Joint Control Room to a report of a fire at a property on Woodbourne Road, Douglas just before 6pm.

Station officer Tony Duncan said: 'On arrival the officer-in-charge reported smoke issuing from the roof at the rear of the property.

'Firefighting operations were made difficult due to the building having its doors and windows boarded up in an attempt to make it secure.

'The fire broke through the roof of the property and an aerial appliance was utilised as a water tower to knock the fire from above.

'The fire was contained to a left hand section of the property and fire crews remained in attendance for over three hours until all hot spots were extinguished and the property made safe.

 'The fire service and police are carrying out an investigation into how the fire started.'