FIRE investigators have been unable to ascertain a cause of the Locarno fire because the building has been so badly damaged.

Police are still treating the fire as arson and are now relying on the public to find out the exact cause.

They are appealing for anyone with video footage of the fire to come forward and help them with their enquiries.

Firefighters took more than 24 hours to fully extinguish the blaze, which started around 3pm on Sunday and destroyed the roof and the interior of the former Locarno and Town Hall.

Wiltshire Fire Brigade spokesman Andy Hargreaves, said: "We have done enough investigations to realise we are not going to be able to get more information from the physical remains."

Detective Sergeant Mark Smith said yesterday officers had been speaking to people who live near the Locarno.

Now Swindon Council has cordoned off the area around the two burnt out buildings to make it safe for the public and is advising the owner Gael Mackenzie to take further measures to secure the site.

Old Town bar owner Mr MacKenzie was away in Hamburg when the fire started and was still unavailable for comment yesterday.

As part of a deal with developers Countryside Properties, Mr MacKenzie planned to create a caf bar in the former ballroom, a restaurant in the old Town Hall building, an Italian style piazza in Market Square car park together with 163 luxury apartments.

Countryside properties spokesman Guy Lambert, said: "It is still too early to tell how we will go forward.

"We need to ascertain what the full damage to the building is and what impact it will have on the structure."