A COTTAGE was severely damaged as a dramatic blaze tore through its thatched roof.

Firefighters from across the county were called to the home in Crowle Road, Broughton Hackett, near Pershore, when the fire broke out at about 7.40pm on Sunday.

With many of the county’s fire crews already busy at a nursery blaze in Worcester, teams from Evesham, Droitwich and Bromsgrove were assisted by two crews from Warwickshire.

It took six firefighters in breathing apparatus, four hose reels and one main jet, plus a compressed air foam system to bring the flames under control.

Group Commander Phil Russell, of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Thatched roof fires are always a challenge and this was a particularly difficult one.

“The thatch on the roof of the cottage was especially thick, with a metal mesh holding it in place, and it was arduous work for the crews as they cut away the metal to strip the roof and ensure the fire was fully extinguished.”

No one was hurt during the incident but there was “extensive damage” to the roof of the property, and the British Red Cross Victim Support Unit attended to offer practical help and advice to the family involved.

A relief crew from Broadway was still at the scene yesterday morning, damping down and assisting with salvage operations, while an investigation into the cause of the fire is now under way.

Group Comm Russell said that, while homes with thatched roofs are statistically no more likely to catch fire, the damage can be more severe.

“As most thatched roof fires are chimney related, the service is advising anyone with a thatched roof to have their chimneys swept on a regular basis and to have them inspected at least once every three years by a registered chimney engineer,” he said. “Standard home fire safety advice is also more important than ever in a thatched property, so ensure cigarettes are properly extinguished and carefully disposed of, and that electrical equipment is turned off and unplugged when not in use.”

The upper floor and roof of a house in a village near Ledbury were destroyed in a fire on Saturday.

The alarm was raised at about 11.35am when a man returning to the property in Mudwalls Close, Bishops Frome, saw smoke at the windows.

Fire crews from Bromyard, Malvern and Hereford attended and firefighters attempted to enter the house but found the conditions too dangerous and fought the blaze from the outside.

It was brought under control at about 1pm. The cause is thought to be electrical.