A FIRE that broke out at the old Texaco petrol station in Bromsgrove this afternoon is being treated as arson by police.

Emergency services were alerted to the blaze on Birmingham Road at 1.47pm today (May 15) and two crews from Bromsgrove Fire Station rushed to the scene.

Firefighters used one hose reel jet to tackle the blaze, which started in a brick outbuilding, and a thermal imaging camera to assess the site, before dampening down the area.

Police were called to the scene at 2.10pm and fire personnel left the incident in officers' hands at 3.28pm.

West Mercia Police has since confirmed that the fire is thought to have been started deliberately.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses to come forward to help identify the arsonist.

Anyone with information is urged to contact West Mercia Police on 101, quoting incident number 361s of May 15.