A former scenes of crime officer is criticising the police for its investigation into a fire at one of Burley-in-Wharfedale's most well-known landmarks.

The blaze at the Roundhouse in April caused more than £20,000 worth of damage - but no forensic examination of the site was carried out, according to local people.

Burley Community Councillor and former policeman John Sparshatt said he was amazed that despite the seriousness of the arson and the fact that a number of other fires broke out in the village in the days following the blaze neither scenes of crimes nor CID officers were involved in the investigation.

He said "I am very concerned that we have in excess of £20,000 damage to a public building in Burley and the police investigation seems to have been minimal."

Mr Sparshatt, himself a former scenes of crime officer, said he felt the people of Burley had been treated shabbily by the police.

He said: "I think there should have been some scenes of crime involvement - I used to work in scenes of crime so I am speaking from a position of some knowledge."

He claimed the failure to take forensic evidence, seriously reduced the chances of ever convicting anyone of the crime.

"If you don't do the basics you cannot expect any evidence to be found" he stressed.

And he accused the police of neglecting the area in order to concentrate on drug dealers and burglars in Keighley despite the fact that the people of Burley paid a 'tremendous amount' in tax.

The police investigation was defended by Sgt Esther Hobbs who stressed the fire had been thoroughly investigated by a local officer.

"Local officers are the best people to investigate something like this," she said

She added that she had been surprised to hear the complaint but had no doubt that the investigation had been properly carried out."

"On the whole it is a very quiet, very nice place - but with something like this if there are no clues we cannot work miracles.

"But we do our best."