Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The interior of Ballytyrone Orange Hall was gutted by the blaze

An Orange hall in County Armagh has been extensively damaged in an attack that police are treating as arson.

The interior of Ballytyrone Orange Hall was gutted and the roof of the building collapsed during the blaze.

A police spokesman said they received a report that the building on Creenagh Road, Loughgall, was on fire at about 23:50 BST on Thursday.

A senior Orangeman said the institution was "devastated" by the attack on the hall.

Drew Nelson, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland's grand secretary, said the hall would be rebuilt "probably bigger and better than it was before".

Image caption The DUP's William Irwin said it was believed a flammable liquid had been poured through a window and set alight

"Clearly there are still some in Northern Ireland's society who are prepared to use violence to attack the Orange institution.

"We, as an institution, would not wish any community to suffer from such violence, having sustained so many attacks on our properties over the years."

He also called for calm and said there should be "no retaliation whatsoever".

Democratic Unionist Party MLA William Irwin said it was believed that flammable liquid had been poured through a window and set alight.

Mr Irwin, a member of the Ballytyrone Orange lodge, was one of the first at the scene and spoke to investigators.

Image caption The roof of the Orange hall collapsed during the fire

"The main hall itself is completely destroyed," he said.

"The kitchen portion at the back is badly smoke-damaged and that's where police and the fire service ascertained that there had been a flammable liquid poured in.

"The police have no idea at this stage who is behind it but they're clearly treating it as arson," he added.

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness tweeted that those responsible for the attack were "sectarian bigots".

"The destruction of Ballytyrone Orange Hall in County Armagh is a disgrace," the deputy first minister added.

"I unreservedly condemn it."

SDLP representative Eamon McNeill has also condemned the attack.