Major fire at residential college

Emergency services were at the scene late into the night. Photo by Ian Atkins

A "severe fire" has broken out at a residential college in Birmingham.

Eight crews have been battling the fire, which broke out at about 2130 BST at Fircroft College of Adult Education in the Selly Oak area of the city.

All students at the college have been accounted for but firefighters were continuing to fight the blaze on the first floor and roof areas.

The college is a specialist residents college, based in one of the Cadbury family homes in six acres of grounds.

Founded in 1909, Fircroft is an adult education college offering more than 150 different short residential courses in subjects such as literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

Its website says it is one of only five specialist residential colleges in the country.