FIRE crews are expected to be on the scene of a thatched cottage blaze until the early hours of tomorrow morning. 

Up to 50 firefighters have been battling the blaze at the cottage on the A420 in Besselsleigh, but this will reduce to about 20 firefighters at 9pm.

The road, which was closed at 5.45pm between the B4017 at Cumnor and the A338, is expected to remain closed until tomorrow morning. 

A fire service spokeswoman said: "We have sent so many firefighters because it is a thatched roof and so many members of the public called it in.

"We do not believe there are any injuries but we are not sure about the extent of the fire."

A woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “The owners of the cottage are all safe – they are all out the house.

“It was a log burner which caused the fire."

Group manager Jason Crapper said: "We were called at 5pm. When we were in attendance the fire was involving the entire thatched roof front to back.

"The building is about 10m by 30m and two storeys mostly. 

"Everyone is safe. All the personal possessions have been moved out of the ground floor. At the moment we have about 50 firefighters in attendance and I am just about to increase that to 70."