TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of arson after the famed Crooked House pub was destroyed in a blaze.
The men, aged 33 and 66, were nabbed today following the inferno on August 5.
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The Crooked House pub was reduced to a shell after an inferno earlier this monthCredit: Alamy
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The famed pub had been sold just days before it was destroyedCredit: BPM
The fire has been surrounded by mystery and theories since the building was reduced to charred remains – then turned to rubble less than two days later.
Suspicion grew as the Crooked House pub in Himley, Staffs, was burnt down just days after it was sold.
Just last week the pub’s foul-mouthed owned denied any responsibility.
Adam Taylor, 44, who was in Corfu with wife Carly and their children — said the family just wanted to get away from the “bull***t” back in England”.
Cops are still asking witnesses to come forward as they probe the fire, despite arresting the two men today on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
The pair, from Milton Keynes, remain in custody.
On the day of the blaze, Staffordshire and West Midlands fire services raced to the scene on Himley Road to battle the flames but could not contain the inferno.
The shell of the charred pub was reduced to rubble just 36 hours after the blaze.
It was also recently revealed the popular boozer, where coins and marbles would appear to roll uphill along the bar, was put forward for listed status protection days before it was destroyed.
It would have meant that the owners, who bought the pub only last month, would have needed council permission to knock it down.
And it has been claimed the digger that flattened the charred ruins was hired before the blaze.
Cops said they’re continuing to probe the blaze and asked any witnesses to come forward.
The force asked anyone with any information which could help them to get in touch. Call 101, quoting incident 761 of 5 August or message them using Live Chat.
Once dubbed “Britain’s wonkiest pub”, the boozer was put on the market by brewers Marston’s in March with a guide price of £675,000.
The building was constructed in 1765 as a farmhouse but became a pub in the 1830s with people flocking to see how one side is 4ft (1.2m) lower than the other.
Originally called ‘The Siden House’, meaning crooked in Black Country dialect – the pub got its bizarre effect through subsidence caused by mining in the 1800s.
The Crooked House became known for being the place where coins and marbles seemingly rolled uphill along the bar.
The slanted structure is kept standing as a result of being propped up by buttresses made of bricks and metal bars.
The Crooked House had been a Grade II listed building since 1960.
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The pub was sold just days before it went up in flamesCredit: PA
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Locals watched as the remains were ripped to the ground just 36 hours laterCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education