A blaze which has gutted a pub in Bradwell-on-Sea may have been started deliberately.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service and the county’s police force will now investigate the cause of the fire at the King’s Head in the town’s High Street.

The blaze started at around 4.45pm with four crews, one each from Burnham and South Woodham Ferrers and two from Maldon, being sent to the scene.

However the aerial ladder platform from Chelmsford was requested by the incident commander immediately upon arrival to help fight the fire.

More than 300 square metres of roof was reported as being alight with crews using four jets and four hose reels to contain the blaze.

Their efforts were hampered by the need to call in BT engineers to remove telephone lines so the aerial ladder platform could get into position.

Around 6.30pm crews had managed to prevent the fire posing a risk to neighbouring properties, with the blaze fully extinguished just before 7pm.