A COTTAGE in Earl Soham has been left badly damaged after fire tore through its thatched roof.

Firefighters from across the county were sent to the property on Church Lane after reports that its straw roof was well alight at about 10pm last night.

It is the latest in a series of blazes that have devastated thatched homes across Suffolk. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

A spokesman for Suffolk Fire and Rescue said crews from Framlingham, Debenham, Stradbroke, Needham Market, along with the Turntable Ladder and support pump from Ipswich East and Command Unit and support pump from Woodbridge were initially sent to the incident.

At 10.08pm appliances from Saxmundham, Leiston and Eye were mobilised, before two more engines arrived from Princes Street, Ipswich.

Firefighters attempted to salvage the first and ground floors of the cottage while hoses were directed at the roof. But by 10.46pm crews from withdrawn from salvage amid fears that the building would collapse.

By 11.15pm 80% of the roof had burnt and crews were dealing with ‘drop fires’ and salvaging from the ground floor.

Crews worked through the night to damp down hotspots.

A relief crew from Elmswell and Aldeburgh arrived this morning.