A fire has ripped through a pub, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Emergency services were called to the Cardross Inn on Main Road in Cardross, Argyll.

The pub was due to reopen after a three-week renovation but the blaze caused significant smoke damage.

No one was in the building at the time.

Officers are investigating the cause of the blaze, which happened at 2am on Wednesday.

Detective constable Darren Lyon said: "The inn had been closed for three weeks and was due to be opened under new management, however, because of the fire and the damage caused, which the management estimate will cost tens of thousands of pounds to repair, this will now not happen for some time, which is a shame for the local community.

"Although Cardross is a small town and at this time of the morning there may not have been too many people about, I would still appeal to anyone who was maybe passing in the car as this is a main route between Dumbarton and Helensburgh."

Anyone with information is asked to contact 101.