Firefighters worked to tackle the blaze until 5.30am

An abandoned children's home sustained significant damage after a fire raged for hours.

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service were called to Church Road and Beaconsfield Road in Woolton shortly after 6pm on Saturday (October 8 ). Huge flames and smoke could be seen billowing out of the windows of St Gabriel's Convent, where the first floor and roof space was on fire.

Firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the blaze. At the peak of the fire, six engines and an aerial appliance - being used as a water tower - had been sent to Woolton.

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Crews continued to work to tame the blaze until firefighting activity concluded at 5.30am, leaving the scene shortly after. One fire engine returned to the scene later on Sunday (October 9) morning in order to check for hotspots, while an investigation into the fire's cause will be carried out in due course.

Photographs taken on Sunday show the state of the building in the aftermath of the fire. The convent had already been gutted by a fire in 2016, which tore through the interior and collapsed the top floor.

Drone photographs taken following this fire show the damage to the roof, as well as burned debris collected within the building. Smoke has also coloured parts of the building's walls black.

Built in 1828, the Grade II listed manor house, then known at Knolle Park, later became St Gabriel's Convent and Knolle Park Children's Home. The site has been subject to a number of redevelopment plans over the years including a care village and a residential complex but has stood empty and abandoned for years.

The latest statement from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, issued on Sunday morning, said: "Firefighting continued overnight. The incident was scaled down to three fire engines and the aerial appliance shortly before 1.30am.

"The Service drone was utilised overnight to assist with operational awareness and to check for hotspots from above, whilst the aerial appliance was used as a water tower.

"All firefighting activity had ceased by 5.30am with the final crews leaving the scene shortly after.

"One fire engine has returned to scene this morning to check for hotspots, with any identified damped down with hose reel jets.

"An investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out in due course."

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