A FIRE at a disused retail unit in central Pontypool was deliberate, the emergency services suspect.

Crews from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called out to the town on Sunday afternoon, and spent more than an hour tackling the flames.

Firefighters appeared to be responding to the incident inside a former furniture store in Commercial Street.

Photographs from the scene show the building was boarded up at the time.

A spokesperson from the fire service said: "At approximately 2.11pm we received reports of a fire in Pontypool.

"Multiple crews attended the scene and extinguished the fire.

"The incident concluded at approximately 3.20pm.

"The suspected cause has been deemed as deliberate."