Fire damages country house hotel

The roof of an annexe building was damaged [picture by Janet Ismay]

More than 60 firefighters from across West Sussex and Hampshire have tackled a blaze which broke out at a country house hotel.

Crews called just after 1130 GMT to the Southdowns hotel and leisure complex in Trotton, near Midhurst, found the roof and first floor of an annexe alight.

A total of 10 fire engines, which were dispatched to the scene, had extinguished the blaze by 1510 GMT.

The hotel was evacuated safely and there were no reports of injuries.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.

The hotel suffered structural damage affecting 70% of the roof and 50% of the first floor.

'Roof collapsing'

A spokeswoman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said the alert was raised after a fire alarm sounded in the hotel complex.

Four fire engines were sent to the scene, but extra help was requested when crews found "a severe fire developing".

Police closed Dumpford Lane, a narrow country lane, to prevent access being blocked for emergency vehicles.

Crews with breathing apparatus were sent into the hotel to find the main area of the fire, while others pumped water from a pond in the grounds, and others began a salvage operation to remove furniture.

The spokeswoman said the fire officers were pulled out of the hotel when the fire-damaged roof began to collapse, with crews tackling the blaze from the outside.

Chichester District Council was asked to send a building officer to the scene to assess the structural safety of the building, she added.