A FISH and chip shop in Tavistock may be closed for up to a month after the cooker went up in flames last Thursday evening.

More than ten customers were queuing for their takeaway at TJ's in Brook Street when the blaze broke out at around 7.20pm but everyone escaped uninjured.

Fire officers from Tavistock were on the scene within minutes and they were joined by a crew from Yelverton and a turntable ladder from Crownhill in Plymouth.

The building was heavily smoke-logged and visibility was difficult. Four firefighters wore breathing apparatus to find the source of the fire which had spread to ducting attached to a deep fat fryer range.

Crews also used two hose reel jets, four dry powder extinguishers and one foam jet to bring the blaze under control.

Louise Jackman, who co-owns the shop, said there were five members of staff working at the time and a queue of customers but no-one in the restaurant.

'They all got out straight away and no-one was hurt,' she said. 'I would like to praise the fire brigade who were at the shop within a couple of minutes of the fire starting. They were amazing.

'It was just the range that was affected but we have to have a new one built and that could take three weeks. We will be open again as soon as we can.'