A fire has ripped through an 18th century pub known as one of the “wonkiest” in Britain.

The Crooked House was completely gutted as firefighters and police were called to the scene in Himley, West Midlands at 10.45pm on Saturday.

The well-known pub was pictured in flames before the fire was extinguished.

No one was reported to have been injured, police said.

Investigators and officials are now looking to establish the cause of the blaze while Staffordshire Police have appealed for information.

The pub, which began sinking in the 19th century but was saved from demolition many years later, was sold to a private buyer only days before the fire.

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A Facebook post from The Crooked House said on 27 July that it had “been sold” and it was “unlikely to open its doors again”.

It added: “Marston’s have sold the site to a private buyer for alternative use, that is all we know.”

Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: “Today all we can say is what a tragedy, and I sincerely hope this iconic Black Country landmark can be restored and preserved.”

Originally constructed as a farmhouse in 1765, the building was converted into a pub in 1830 but began subsiding due to mining activities in the area.

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It was maintained by supporting buttresses making it a popular tourist attraction over the years.

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