POLICE officers saved a derelict church from a blaze when they doused flames with a fire extinguisher.

Arsonists had targeted the former United Reformed Anglican Church in Beta Street, Bolton, at about 3am yesterday.

Police received a call about two men acting suspiciously in the School Hill area.

When they drove along Beta Street, they saw the former church was on fire.

They used fire extinguisher in their car to put out the blaze before firefighters arrived.

It is understood petrol had been poured on the outside of the building and then set alight.

Crew Commander Mick Hodson, from Bolton Central fire station, said the police officers’ actions saved the building from being more badly damaged.

He added: “The police were searching for two men who had been seen acting suspiciously in the area.

“Because they caught the fire very early it only damaged the outside. It was just a bit of scarring.”

The firefighters were called to the scene to make it safe but did not need to get inside the building.

The fire was out when they arrived.

One neighbour said: “I didn’t know anything about it, but stuff like that happens around here.”

A man and a youth have been arrested on suspicion of arson