A PUB that was severely damaged when a kitchen fire blazed out of control is bouncing back with a weekend of celebrations planned.

Staff at the Camp House Inn in Grimley were devastated after a blaze left their newly refurbished kitchen black and burnt last Saturday.

But Jo Wainwright-Scarrot, assistant manager and daughter of landlord Jim Wainwright, said the recent setback won't put a stop to celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the Wainwright family at the pub.

"It was terrible. The fire started in the fryer and quickly got out of control. A member of staff had only left briefly to get a drink but the fire spread quickly," she said.

"My dad was in a neighbouring room asleep and he woke up to the smell of smoke which was thick above his head. My dad has to use crutches to walk so he had to crawl out on his hands and knees.

"Dad was okay and no one was hurt so we are thankful for that. We had only just had the kitchen refurbished after February's floods so we were devastated. Our customers have been amazing though — one customer, Roy 'Butch' Munslow, tried to put the fire out with Leslie Williams, our barmaid. After the fire service left customers were grabbing mops and buckets and helping us clear up. Roy was back in for a drink an hour later."

Despite this, Mrs Wainwright-Scarrot said the team is ready to bounce back with a weekend of celebrations starting from Friday, August 15.

"We are celebrating 75 years of holding the lease to the pub. On Friday we are having a pig roast from 6pm with music from the Woo Town Hillbillies and the Delray Rockets," she said.

"On Saturday we have yet to finalise what we're doing but I'm sure it will involve more music and food, and on Sunday we are having a relaxing day with a barbecue, an ice-cream seller and music from Claire Boswell from 4pm.

"In traditional Wainwright spirit we'll fight on and not let the recent setbacks stop us celebrating."