TWO eagle-eyed police officers saved a former pub near St Neots from being destroyed by arsonists.

Cambridgeshire police said the officers were on patrol when they saw flames coming from the door of the building in Abbotsley at about 6.30pm on Saturday (November 5).

They quickly got a fire extinguisher from their patrol car and put out the fire, which officers are now investigating as arson. They believe petrol was poured in the building, which was formerly The Tavern on the Green and before that The Jolly Abbott.

DC Becky Mainwood, investigating, said: “It was only thanks to the quick-thinking of these officers that the whole building was not destroyed.

“We are treating this incident as arson and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area or saw anything suspicious to contact police.”

INFORMATION: Anyone with information can contact DC Mainwood at Huntingdon Police Station on 0345 456 456 4 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.