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| Peckforton Castle fire: Wedding groom admits £6m arson | Peckforton Castle fire: Wedding groom admits £6m arson |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A groom has admitted starting a £6m fire at a Cheshire castle where his wedding reception was being held. | A groom has admitted starting a £6m fire at a Cheshire castle where his wedding reception was being held. |
| Max Kay, 36, of Liverpool, started the blaze at Peckforton Castle Hotel in Tarporley at 05:00 BST on 19 June. | |
| At Chester Crown Court, he admitted arson that was reckless as to whether life was endangered. | |
| But he denied a count of arson with intent to destroy or damage property and to endanger life. This was accepted by the prosecution. | |
| One hundred firefighters had to tackle the blaze at the Grade 1 listed 19th Century country house, built in the style of a castle. | One hundred firefighters had to tackle the blaze at the Grade 1 listed 19th Century country house, built in the style of a castle. |
| Almost 200 people, including 11 children, had to be evacuated. | |
| A previous hearing heard Kay, of Waylands Drive in Hunts Cross, and his wife had rowed with staff and the owners of the castle earlier in the day over money. | |
| At Friday's hearing, Judge Roger Dutton granted the father of two bail but warned him a custodial sentence was "inevitable". |