ARSONISTS caused more than £2,000 damage by setting fire to a public toilet block on Clacton seafront.

Part of the roof of the building on the Lower Promenade below Marine Parade East was badly damaged on Saturday and will need extensive works carried out.

Fire crews from Clacton were called to the blaze at 3.45pm following reports that an area of roof space of a block was alight.

The site is run by Tendring Council and it has had to be closed until the roof has been checked over and a quote obtained. It is likely the cost of repairs will be more than £2,000.

Mick Skeels, Tendring Council’s councillor responsible for leisure and tourism, said fire crews were on the scene quickly and had the blaze out within half an hour.

There was also some water damage inside the building and that will also need to dry out.

Children were seen in the area of the toilets at about that time and an appeal has been made for any witnesses to come forward.

Mr Skeels said he hoped those responsible will be caught. He said: “We were alerted to the fire by a member of the public via our Careline Team and luckily crews were there very quickly and prevented further damage.

“Any repairs will have to be paid for out of the public purse and an early estimate is around £2,000.

“We will need to keep the site closed until we can get it repaired and back in use.”

This will be done as quickly as possible.”

A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was extinguished by 4.12pm.

He added: “The cause has been recorded as deliberate.”

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call the council on 01255 686772 or the police on 101.