Three separate fires in Teignmouth are thought to have been started deliberately.

Last night (Monday, August 3) fire crews were called out at 10.17pm to Teignmouth Hospital, where an outbuilding was reported to have gone up in flames.

Firefighters from Teignmouth, Dawlish and Torquay attended, along with an aerial ladder platform.

The fire had spread to a two-storey building, which was damaged by smoke. No injuries were reported.

Police have confirmed that they were called out to the incident by firefighters, and it is being treated as arson.

In a social media post Teignmouth Hospiotal said “we are open and people should continue to attend appointments as planned unless they hear directly from us.

“The fire affected the Teignmouth Clinic Building on the hospital site. The building is used by our community midwifery service and we are working with colleagues and partners to put alternative arrangements in place for those services. We will contact anyone whose appointment needs to be rearranged or relocated. “We'd like to thank Devon and Somerset Fire Service, Devon and Cornwall Police and our colleagues for their support and response last night.”

Meanwhile two fires in nearby residential streets are also being treated as suspicious.

One happened in the early hours of Monday morning – the other was three weeks earlier, but police think it may be linked to the latest arson.

A police spokesman said: “We are also aware of a fire on Sunday 12 July in a garden on Fourth Avenue and one on Coleman Avenue on Monday 3 August, which caused substantial damage to a garden shed.

“Both are being treated as suspicious, and enquiries are ongoing to establish whether they are linked.

“Anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious is asked to contact police via the Force website or by telephone on 101, quoting crime reference 50260205620.

Teignmouth Town Council has also posted on social media, urging anyone with information about the arson attacks to contact the police.