Crews saved thousands of pounds of equipment from going up in smoke after fire broke out at Tavistock Football Club yesterday afternoon.

The blaze which broke out along the verge of the cycle path outside the main pitch was tackled by Okehampton firefighters after an eagle-eyed member of the club spotted it at around 2pm and called the fire service.

Twenty posts and a 100 yard fence was fire damaged but the blaze was stopped from spreading to a container with thousands of pounds of club equipment inside from goals to line markers, flags and other items.

Town councillor Allen Lewis, who represents that area of the town and also volunteers at the club, said it could have been catastrophic.

He said the fence was still standing but was badly scorched: ‘The fire brigade have said the fence will need replacing and this should be covered by insurance,’ he said. ‘Fortunately it did not get as far as the container with all the equipment in.

‘The verge of the cycle track was very high with weeds until it was cut two weeks ago and the vegetation was left on the ground. It all just lay there and it became a tinderbox.’

Fire crews believe the cause of the fire was accidental