Paul Andrucci, who lives right opposite the building and is secretary of the welfare hall management committee, said "Someone noticed some light in the hall's roof space in the early hours and alerted the caretaker, but by that time the roof was on fire. With the hall being mostly wooden it was just like a tinderbox, and within about half an hour to 45 minutes it was virtually gone". Shilbottle Parish vice-chairman Peter Brown said: "Whether it was water got in or whether the bad weather forced the mice back in and they chewed through the wires we just do not know.