Crooked House fire: The key moments in last year from fire to latest investigation decision

Normally, it would have been one of the busiest times of the year, but The Crooked House had been forced to close five weeks earlier due to a break-in. It had just been sold to Marston's by an un-named buyer, and it was said to be unlikely to reopen as a pub.

Then on the night of August 5, 'Britain's wonkiest pub' went up in flames.

Ash Smith was tending his horses when he noticed heavy smoke coming from the direction of The Crooked House pub. He drove closer to see what was going on, and it became clear that the 258-year-old pub was on fire.

Just before 10pm Mr Smith dialled 999, and crews from across the Black Country were sent to the site in Coppice Mill.

The Crooked House pub, accessed through a long narrow lane off Himley Road in Lower Gornal, in Dudley, was difficult to get to at the best of times. However, on this occasion, firefighters were hindered by an 8ft mound of earth blocking the only route to the building, so the fire engines were forced to run their hoses for more than half a mile to pump water to the fire.

Watch commander Chris Green, of Tipton fire station, was among the first to arrive at the fire.

"When we were driving we could see the massive glow and we were all just saying ‘that’s definitely the pub on fire’," he said.

"When we got there the lads had to work so hard because there were mounds of dirt that had been put in the road blocking the lane.