A FAMILY home was wrecked by a fire, which tore through the roof and gutted most of the first floor.Five teams of firefighters were sent to the blaze at a detached period house in Bradfield Road, Wix, which started at about 11.

A FAMILY home was wrecked by a fire, which tore through the roof and gutted most of the first floor.

Five teams of firefighters were sent to the blaze at a detached period house in Bradfield Road, Wix, which started at about 11.30am on Saturday.

Firefighters spent several hours trying to put out the fire and damp down roof timbers to prevent further damage.

Some firemen pulled slates off the roof in order to get to timbers, which were burning deeply, an Essex Fire Service spokesman said.

It is believed the fire may have started in the loft due to an electrical fault.

A family of four - including two grown up children - live in the house. Only the daughter was at home when the fire started.

An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Apparently she was out feeding her horse in the paddock behind the house when she heard a bang. She looked round and saw smoke billowing out of the roof."

He added: "The fire took hold very quickly."

Neighbour Robin Hoare, a farmer, went to help the family.

He said: "I was there after it started, before the first fire engines got there.

"By the look of it, it started in the loft area. All of one room was completely gutted - the daughter's room was gutted. She lost all her possessions."

He said all the roof timbers in the front of the house were ruined except for in one room, which suffered smoke damage.

After the blaze was brought under control, Mr Hoare helped the family rescue furniture and clothing and take it into storage.

"The whole family was upset," said Mr Hoare.

Two fire crews from Dovercourt, one from Manningtree, a pump from Clacton and the Chelmsford aerial ladder platform were also sent to the fire.

Firefighters used four breathing apparatus sets and four hose jets to tackle the blaze, which is not being classed as arson.