THE owners of the severely fire damaged Old Swan Inn in Gargrave have said it will definitely be rebuilt.

Pub company, The Ei Group - formerly Enterprise Inns -say it is still talking to loss adjusters about the extent of the damage, and cannot be sure when, but the pub will reopen.

Any work will also have to be subject to planning permission from Craven District Council.

A spokesman for the Ei Group, which owns more than 3,500 pubs around the country, said: "Whether it will be rebuilt this side of Christmas, we can't be sure. It is very tragic, but it is a grade two listed building, and it will definitely, definitely, be rebuilt."

The pub, a former coaching inn on the High Street, was due to reopen yesterday.

A fire broke out at around 6pm on Tuesday. Several fire crews fought the fire into the early hours and remained at the scene on Wednesday morning.The landlord, Tim Sharp, was taken down from the roof by firefighters and taken to hospital in a critical condition. he remains in hospital where his condition is now described as 'stable'.

Gargrave councillor Simon Myers, said: "It is a real tragedy for the people involved and for the village. I have great hopes that the pub will be rebuilt, and rebuilt better."

Poilice are still carrying out an investigation into the full circumstances of the fire.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, select option one and speak to the force control room. Use reference number: 12200115385.