A schoolgirl has been arrested after a 'deliberate' blaze destroyed an abandoned Grade I-listed manor house.A large group of youths were spotted hanging out near to Woolton Hall, in Liverpool, shortly before firefighters raced to tackle the blaze at 8.20pm on Tuesday.But despite fire crews battling through the night, the 300-year-old historic home was severely damaged with the roof had collapsed, walls burnt and windows broken. A girl, 14, from Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of arson and taken into custody to be questioned. She has since been conditionally bailed. Detective Inspector Daniel McWhinnie said the fire, which is believed to have been started deliberately, 'appears to have been an extremely reckless act at a historic building'. When the fire broke out on Tuesday evening, residents were urged to keep their doors and windows closed, with smoke seen some 40 miles away in Preston, Lancashire.By 11.30pm, nine fire engines were at the scene. Crews worked through the night to contain it, finally managing to extinguish the flames just before 2am on Wednesday. Huge smoke clouds erupted from the building as a blaze tore through it on Tuesday night Fire crews pictured at the scene of Woolton Hall in Liverpool, following a fire at the Grade I-listed manor houseSeveral of the sandstone walls are leaning and may topple. Most of the windows and many of the floors were being held up by timber beams and lintels but they have all been burnt. As a result, burnt charcoal is holding the building up in places. It is understood that work will be undertaken to determine what needs to happen to ensure the safety of the site and what can be salvaged of the hall.Detective Inspector Daniel McWhinnie said: 'This appears to have been an extremely reckless act at a historic building that has stood at the site for hundreds of years.'We know the community will be rightly shocked by what happened and we are determined to find all those responsible.''We received reports of youths congregating near the hall shortly before the fire was reported, and we would appeal to anyone who was there or knows who was there to contact police.'If you are a parent or guardian in the area and your child was out that night, we ask that you enquire about their movements and what they might know.'If you were driving in the area of Speke Road on Tuesday evening and captured anything on dashcam that you think in hindsight may be useful to our enquiries, please get in touch.'We are carrying out a number of lines of enquiry, including speaking to potential witnesses and assessing CCTV in the area, but I would ask for anyone who knows anything to contact us as soon as possible.' Flames seen rising from the listed building as firefighters worked through the night to tackle the blaze By 11.30pm, there were nine fire engines at the scene using hoses to tackle flames at the exterior of the building Residents were warned to keep doors and windows closed as crews tackled the fire at the three-storey stone-built buildingThe force is appealing for anyone who was there, knows who was there, or parents whose children were out that night to come forward.On Wednesday a surveyor advised that it would be unsafe for firefighters to enter the building to investigate. A fire service spokesman previously said: 'A multi-agency meeting has taken place with police and a building surveyor, who has assessed the building and advised it would be unsafe to commit firefighters to the interior of the building.'An investigation will take place 'when possible', the service added. Daylight photos yesterday revealed the extent of the damage caused.The hall, which is privately owned, was built in 1704.Local campaigners have been calling for it to be saved for a number of years over the condition of the building. Daylight has revealed the extent of the damage to Woolton Hall in Liverpool as fire crews remain at the scene The fire caused devastating damage to the 300-year-old building The roof has been demolished, with structural damage visible and windows destroyedIn 2019, fire crews were called to tackle a suspected arson attack in outbuildings and worked to prevent the blaze spreading to the main building.The grand manor house on Speke Road in Woolton was built in 1704 and sold to wealthy politician Richard Molyneux, the 1st Viscount Molyneux.The classical building underwent an extensive renovation 68 years later, undertaken by influential architect Robert Adam. During its first two centuries of use, it was a home for the rich and powerful, including the Earl of Sefton and ship owner Frederick Richards Leyland.In the hundreds of years it has stood it has been a manor home, a private school and an army hospital. It was saved from demolition in the 1980s and was subsequently granted Grade I listed status. The owners had plans to use the building as the focus of a retirement village but their proposals failed to get financial support and Woolton Hall continued to decline. It has remained vacant since 2003 and has been left in a 'neglected, damp, condition', according to Historic England. Aerial shots show the roof which has now been exposed after collapsing in the inferno Up to nine fire engines were called to tackle the blaze last night A surveyor advised it would be unsafe to commit firefighters to the interior of the building The cause of the fire is not yet known and will be investigated when it is safe to do so Woolton Hall is one of the oldest buildings in the city and dates back to 1704It was added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk register two years later as a category A building, meaning it was among the buildings most at risk. Jonathon Wild has been campaigning for years to save the historic building from ruin.He said: 'This is the same as Liverpool Cathedral going on fire. The same category listing. 'I am absolutely devastated that this has happened and I ask that the powers that be hold a full investigation in to this fire and the outcome is that this building is somehow rebuilt.'