Merseyside Police has said there is nothing to suggest the weekend blaze at Grade II listed Thornton Manor was started on purpose.

The fire, which appears to have begun in a boiler room and was extinguished by staff, was found to have spread to the roof area of the three storey building when firefighters arrived later on Saturday not long after 9pm.

A wedding party was present, and all were safely evacuated.

During Saturday night and Sunday eight appliances tackled the fire, which caused significant damage, particularly to the roof.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service's Ben Ryder described conditions as "extremely challenging" as crews were "working at height in difficult conditions". The weekend was notable for strong winds.

He added: "Firefighters worked relentlessly night and day throughout the weekend to ensure the fire was fully extinguished and I would like to express my thanks to them for their persistence and determination. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service remains at the scene and a full investigation is being carried out."

Thornton Manor is part of an important heritage site. The land on which it sits was originally owned by the Mostyn family of North Wales. It was bought in 1849 by a solicitor called Charles Williams Potts, and it is thought he was responsible for the building of the imposing house.

It changed hands in 1863, before being rented by William Lever, Viscount Leverhulme, in 1888. In 1893 he bought it, and continued to live there until 1919 while making alterations, including the main block's Elizabethan style.

Lever was the industrialist and philanthropist best known locally for Sunlight Soap and Port Sunlight Village, featuring individual homes for workers which are iconic examples of great urban planning.

As a prestigious modern venue, Thornton Manor has hosted high profile events like Coleen Rooney's 21st birthday party in 2007, and the private Brexit talks between Boris Johnson and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in 2019.

Now Thornton Manor's future is uncertain, along with those of people who have booked forthcoming events.

A spokesman said: "We will endeavour to contact all our brides, grooms and event organisers as soon as possible.

"We would like to thank everyone for all their support and patience during this difficult time."

The fire is another blow for Thornton Manor. Last month, after a long period of legal wrangling, Thornton Holdings, which operates the Manor and surrounding estate, was ordered to dismantle three substantial marquees which have been an important part of its business for more than a decade.

The company has said that without them the business will no longer be able to trade, jobs will be lost, and that the Manor and surrounding land will have to be sold.