Crews from Andover were among 18 sent to a thatched cottage blaze which saw crews in attendance throughout the night.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) received reports of a fire in a thatched cottage on Collingbourne Ducis’ High Street at around 4pm yesterday. They called in support from across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire, with three teams from Andover attending in total.

Crews fought the fire throughout the night, with one pump still in place today.

The fire broke out on April 27 at around 4pm, with reports of a fire in a thatched roof. Support was called in from three fire services, while the A338 was closed to allow firefighters to tackle the blaze.

At the height of the call out, there were 18 fire crews in attendance – two from Andover and Salisbury, as well as those from Ludgershall, Pewsey, Marlborough, Hungerford, Sutton Scotney, Newbury, Stratton, Whitchurch, Eastleigh, Calne, Kingsclere, Winchester, Westlea, and Lambourne.

Specialist support was also called in, with an aerial ladder platform from Salisbury, water carriers from Andover and Ramsbury, an incident command vehicle from Devizes, and support vehicles from Swindon and Basingstoke.

Residents were advised to keep doors and windows closed while the fire was fought, something that continued throughout the night.

Just after 11pm, the fire was contained enough that twelve crews could return home, while a crew from Gillingham arrived as relief early this morning. At present, one crew from Warminster remained at the site to monitor the building.

A DWFRS spokeswoman said: "On arrival, firefighters found a fire involving the thatched roof of a domestic two-floor property.

"The fire was affecting 60 per cent of the thatched roof and a fire break was put in place.

"18 breathing apparatus wearers used ladders, hose reel jets and main jets to tackle the fire.

"They dampened down hotspots and removed the thatch from the roof.

"The incident was scaled down to six pumps at just after 11pm, with crews monitoring the building for hotspots throughout the night.

"A crew from Gillingham were on scene just after 2am until 6.30am this morning to relieve other crews.

“The road remained closed until 6am.

"There is currently only one pump from Warminster in attendance, but the incident won’t be closed until a fire investigation is carried out later today."