Firefighters battled a house fire in West Grimstead for seven hours last night (January 24).

The fire broke out at a house on Church Street and multiple 999 calls were made at around 3pm.

Crews mobilised from across the region and at the height of the incident there were 13 fire engines, two water carriers, an aerial ladder platform and two support units.

Read our live coverage of the West Grimstead fire as it happened

A spokesperson for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Control mobilised crews from Salisbury, Wilton and Verwood alongside neighbouring crews from Fordingbridge, Romsey, Lyndhurst, Eastleigh and Redbridge, a water carrier also from Wilton, and an Environmental Protection Unit from Gillingham.

"On arrival, firefighters found a thatched roof well alight, so breathing apparatus wearers gained access to the loft space in order to create a fire break and extinguish the fire.

See more: West Grimstead fire: 'Neighbours climbed on the roof'

"The incident was scaled back at 8pm as firefighters continued to fight the fire externally using hose reel jets, main lines and ladders."

The fire was put out just before 10pm but crews remained on the scene dampening down until the early hours of the morning.

At that point, the incident was scaled back again to just two appliances that maintained a watching brief overnight to monitor any hotspots.