THE smouldering wreck a Broads cruiser sunk after it was destroyed in a suspected arson attack last night.The Lucky Lady disappeared beneath the River Bure in Great Yarmouth after fire fighters had battled for almost an hour to put out the blaze.

THE smouldering wreck a Broads cruiser sunk after it was destroyed in a suspected arson attack last night.

The Lucky Lady disappeared beneath the River Bure in Great Yarmouth after fire fighters had battled for almost an hour to put out the blaze.

Police were called to the scene on North Quay by the Yarmouth Coastguard and are treating the fire as arson.

Nobody was on board at the time, although the Lucky Lady's engine had been left on, and no other boats were damaged.

Two crews and the fire service rescue boat were called out to deal with the blaze, close to the White Swan Pub.

Eye witness Jemma-Louisa Dalley was driving over Haven Bridge when she saw the boat on fire.

“By the time we got round to North Quay the fire had really got hold of the boat and two fire engines had arrived within a couple of minutes of us getting there,” she said.

“There was no-one in the boat but the engine had been left running; it seemed like the fire was under control, but when the roof was ripped off the flames shot up again.”

The wrecked boat met a watery grave around 9.30pm; about 45 minutes after the blaze had been put out.

A crowd of onlookers had gathered at the scene and staff at the White Swan pub provided drinks to fire fighters once the blaze was under control.