Pope Francis has said he is “praying for French Catholics and for the people of Paris in face of the terrible fire which has ravaged Notre Dame cathedral”, as wealthy benefactors pledged hundreds of millions of Euros to rebuild the centuries-old building.

Pope Francis

Fire ripped through the iconic cathedral on Monday evening, bringing down its wooden spire as some 500 firefighters battled the flames. One was injured but no one was killed.

The blaze is thought to have begun accidentally amid extensive restoration work on the Paris landmark, which is visited by 12 million people a year. The fire was declared fully extinguished just before 9am UK time on Tuesday.