A FIERCE fire swept through the old Norville factory site in Gloucester last night.

Police today said the cause of the fire was now being treated as suspicious.

Drivers are being warned Hatherley Road is shut this morning following the major building fire.

Six crews were sent out to the blaze in Tredworth overnight at the former Norville site.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue had 75 calls from people in the area following the blaze which started about midnight.

The fire is now out but the area remains cordoned off.

Police in Gloucester are now appealing for information about the fire in the city overnight after it was declared suspicious.

No one is believed to have been injured but around 30 homes in the area were evacuated as a safety precaution and accommodated at GL1 leisure centre, although most residents have now returned to their properties or made alternative arrangements.

Melbourne Street East, Matson Place and Tarrington Road at the junction with Hatherley Road are expected to remain closed for most of the day while a factory wall is made safe.

The cause of the fire has been declared suspicious and anyone who has any information is being urged to call police on the new non-emergency number 101, quoting incident 468 of February 21.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111

Photographer Neil Phelps - who runs the Gloucester City website TEXT HERE " TARGET="_self">Tigerroar.co.uk captured some photographs of the scene last night.