Arsonists struck at a snooker club today in a bid to cover up a theft, firefighters believe.

The raid at a Bradford mill building saw four crews from Bradford and Fairweather Green attend the incident at 7.45am today.

The Frame One Snooker Club in Legrams Lane takes up the bottom floor of the four-storey Legrams Mill.

It was ransacked today by thieves who emptied a number of games machines. A fire was then deliberately started on the premises.

Station officer Phillip Whitaker said: "The building was very heavily smoke-logged. We think the fire was to cover up a theft. It appears most of the arcade machines have been broken into presumably for cash."

Owner Mohammed Shafiq, 29, said he had locked up the building as normal at 4.30am today. He was called by his brother at 6.45am to say there had been a fire.

"There were 25 or 30 machines with probably thousands of pounds inside," said Mr Shafiq. "They hadn't been emptied for four weeks.

"When I locked up I noticed nothing out of the ordinary. I usually write down registrations of any cars parked in the area but all was quiet when I left. When I heard about the fire I came straight down to the building. A window had been put through and all the arcade machines tampered with.

"I have a good relationship with people who come into the club, but there are always those who don't know how to abide by the rules and I have to ask them to leave.

"I will have to now call my insurers, but we will be closed for the foreseeable future."

Police are investigating the incident.