Three men arrested in connection with Down blaze

Three men suspected of starting a fire which badly damaged three houses in Co Down, were arrested today.

Detectives detained the men at addresses a few miles away in Downpatrick in an early-morning operation.

They were being questioned about a blaze in Valencia Place yesterday evening in which three houses were badly damaged and which police said they were treating as arson.

No-one was understood to have been in the properties when the fire started.

Meanwhile, the police and Fire and Rescue Service were investigating a blaze which damaged a hall used for bingo and community meetings in Newry, Co Down.

The fire was discovered at around 2am on the ground floor of the building in John Mitchell Place. It caused extensive damage to a staircase and smoke and water damage to the rest of the building.