A DERELICT mill went up in flames after a suspected arson attack.

A massive blaze was sparked at Whitley and Greens Mill at Hinchliffe Mill near Holmfirth on Saturday evening.

The fire engulfed about half the three-storey building and took more than 20 firefighters from four stations, three hours to extinguish.

Crew Commander Steve Mosley from Huddersfield Fire Station said it looked like the blaze was started deliberately.

A local resident has revealed it is the second fire at the site in two weeks.

Tim Walshaw, whose home looks on to the abandoned Water Street mill, said he had rushed into the premises to put out a blaze earlier in June.

“Two weeks ago there was a lot of smoke coming out of it,” he said.

“With there being a dam I managed to get two buckets and use the water to get it out before the fire brigade arrived.

“But this time it was too big.

“There was that much smoke coming out of it I knew there was nothing I could do.”

Crew Commander Mosley said two pumps from Huddersfield were joined by crews from Meltham, Slaithwaite and Elland at the incident at 6.40pm on Saturday.

He said: “Half the building was on fire when we arrived.

“We fought it from the outside and then four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went inside to damp it down.

“It’s a suspected arson as there have been incidents previously.”

Mr Walshaw said he suspected the two fires had been started by the same culprits, a small group of young teenagers which he had seen on the site prior to both fires.

“I saw some youngsters running away from the scene,” he said. “The same ones as during the first incident.

“The site really needs securing. There are no signs and there’s no barriers – there used to be but they’re gone.

“It’s unfit and it’s unsafe for anyone to go in.

“Kids have been going in and daubing graffiti and kicking the walls out.

“And they’re using a bit of concrete for skateboarding.

“If they’re going into it now it’s a much more dangerous building.

“If something collapses there’s going to be liability.

“It’s a situation that we need to resolve.”

The mill, which has been abandoned for several years, has planning permission to be redeveloped into seven flats and 12 houses, but work has not begun.

The Water Street mill was also hit by a large fire in July 2010, which was captured on camera by neighbour Paul Taylor.