A TAVISTOCK cottage was severely damaged by fire on Tuesday.

The occupants of the farmer?s cottage at the entrance to Bishopsmead were working in the yard at around 4.45pm when they noticed smoke coming from the cottage.

Both Tavistock fire crews and the appliance from Yelverton attended the fire, which was well alight when they arrived.

Tavistock sub-officer Tony Clark said the fire was in the ground floor sitting room and was thought to have been caused by ashes and embers left in the grate overnight giving radiated heat to nearby furnishings.

Mr Clark said the

sitting room was ?best part destroyed? by the fire and the rest of the house was severely damaged by smoke and heat because all the internal doors were open.

?If you are leaving your house, even for a short time, close the doors,? Mr Clark stressed. He also said there was a chance a smoke alarm might have been heard had one been installed.

l Earlier in the day fire crews from Okehampton and Crownhill attended a kitchen fire in Madge Court as local crews were dealing with a severe gorse fire at Brentor. The fire was quickly extinguished.