FIRE engine teams from Ashburton, Dawlish and Bovey Tracey were among 12 crews from fire stations across Devon tackling an overnight thatched roof blaze in East Devon.

A Fire Control spokesperson said: ‘At 0034 this morning we received a 999 call reporting a thatched roof on fire on a domestic property in Woodbury Salterton.

‘Eight fire engines and several specialist vehicles were sent. On arrival crews confirmed that the roof was well alight and requested a further four fire engines to assist.’

At just after 4am Fire control reported the thatched roof had collapsed and by 6amthe incident had been scaled back to five fire engines.