FIREFIGHTERS have thanked neighbours for supplying more than 50 emergency response staff at the scene of a thatched cottage blaze with drinks and snacks.

Claire Tooke, crew commander at Red Watch at Ipswich East Fire Station, said Red Watch wanted to thank the occupants of Clematis Cottage “for their generosity” whilst they were attending the blaze at Nedging Tye, near Bildeston.

Ten fire engines, a turn table ladder and an operational support unit attended the incident in Nedging Road, which the fire service was alerted to at 7.52pm on Friday. The firefighters worked into the night and relief crews were mobilised.

The blaze destroyed the roof and first floor of the property, but nobody was in the building at the time and nobody was hurt.

Ms Tooke said people make the crews teas and coffees all the time when they are fighting fires, but the occupants of Clematis Cottage went above and beyond.

She said: “I’m sure this thank you is extended from all those who were involved.”

Watch commander Matt Barber, at the scene of the fire, said due to the hard work of the first crews all the ground floor possessions were salvaged.

Neighbours, including Jane and David Young of the property opposite, have been helping to store the items.

Mr Young said: “They [the fire service] were very, very good. We were all impressed with how quickly they cleared so much stuff and you don’t tend to think of firefighters in that sense, but they are saving people’s possessions if they can.”

He said the owners of the damaged property were “significantly shocked and stressed” by what had happened.

He said the firefighters had finished at about lunchtime on Saturday.

Incident commander Simon Hurst said at the scene of the fire: “It is all about teamwork. We know the task we need to do to try and salvage as much as we can of the personal possessions and as much of the property as we can.”

The police were involved with traffic management at the scene.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police said the fire is not currently believed to be suspicious.