Fire breaks out at former convent

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Some 80 firefighters are tackling a blaze at a former convent.

The fire broke out at the Carmelite Convent in Hunston, near Chichester, West Sussex, at 2010 BST on Sunday.

The building, which was vacated by nuns in 1994, was believed to have been empty when the fire started, said a West Sussex Fire and Rescue spokesman.

Much of the chapel and its roof had been destroyed but firefighters had managed to stop the fire spreading to the main building, the spokesman added.

Firefighters were tackling the blaze using water from nearby Chichester lakes.

The spokesman added the cause of the fire was not yet known, but fire officers were not ruling out "possible arson".