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Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue service crews from Sunderland Central, Farringdon and Marley Park attended the incident at around 8.40pm on Wednesday, October 2.

The fire is believed to have started in a bowling pavilion within the park grounds, destroying the roof of the building and leaving the rest of it damaged.

Two crews remained at the scene until around 11pm on Wednesday and fire investigation teams returned to Mowbray Park just after 9am on Thursday, October 3, to help determine the cause of the blaze.

Crews at the scene of the blaze at Mowbray Park in Sunderland.

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Northumbria Police confirmed it is treating it as suspected arson – and a probe has now been launched by the force.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson told the Echo: “Shortly before 9.45pm on Wednesday, police were alerted by the fire service to a fire in Mowbray Park, Sunderland.

“Emergency services attended and found a building that was ablaze. The fire was extinguished and nobody is believed to have been injured.

“An investigation is ongoing into the cause of the fire, which police are currently treating as suspected arson.

Fire crews worked to put out the fire in the small building.

“Anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 1179 021019 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Anyone with information on the incident who would like to be treated anonymously is also asked to call FireStoppers on 0800 169 5558.

Mowbray Park fire: Police treating blaze around Sunderland bowling pavilion as suspected arson