A MEMORIAL hall has been damaged in an arson attack for the second time this year.
Flames were pouring out of the windows at Deane Church Memorial Road, in Junction Road, when firefighters arrived just after 7pm on Tuesday. 
The area had to be cordoned off while the blaze was dealt with and the building was severely damaged. 
Chris Wilcox, from Bolton Central fire station, said the fire was started after youths were seen breaking in.
The entire building was smoke logged and there was also damage to the front of the building. The building had already been damaged by a fire on January 9.
Mr Wilcox said: “It was quite bad. Apparently it was youths breaking in. There has been previous fire damage. 
“There was quite a lot of damage to the property and when we got there flames were coming out of the window. We managed to stop that. We needed to ask the police to cordon off the area.” 
One resident said he saw a group of youths near the hall before the fire and said residents were fed up with youths breaking into the hall.
He said: “There was some girls sat at the front when I was going to the shop and there were four lads walking around the back.
“I got back and went into my house and 10 minutes later it was ablaze. I could hear them smashing windows.
“We are all fed up now. It has been empty for about four years. It needs something doing.”
The fire earlier in the year happened when someone broke into the building and set fire to furniture.
The hall has been out of use since around 2013 and was sold by the Diocese of Manchester to a developer last year. 
Records from the Land Registry show that the hall and the land it is on was bought by Fortune Properties (UK) Ltd on March 27, 2017 for £95,000.
It is not clear what the intended purpose of the site is but following the purchase, representatives of Fortune Properties erected signs on the hall warning people the building is dangerous and to keep out.
The company is based in Abbey House, in Lever Street, Bolton, and is listed on Companies House as a renter and operator of housing association real estate.
The hall was first opened in 1934 in memory of those who fought during the First World War but the building started to suffer problems in the late 1990s.
Four fire engines were on the scene until around 10.30pm on Tuesday.