Firefighters rushed to battle a roof fire at a residential property in Kirby Row today.

Norfolk and Suffolk fire and rescue services received a call at 11.28am of a blaze at a large property in a secluded and heavily wooded area just off Old Yarmouth Road.

In total six crews were mobilised, two from Great Yarmouth and one from Lowestoft South, Beccles, Harleston and Gorleston.

When the first crew arrived at 11.48 they were confronted with a large quantity of smoke bellowing from a flat roof section of the property.

Firefighters used hose reel jets and breathing apparatus to quickly quash the fire and remain on scene to dampen down burning timber and ensure the fire is completely extinguished.

Speaking at the scene Great Yarmouth station manager Grant Cotterell explained initial calls suggested the fire would be “a lot worse”.

He said: “The fire started in a flat roof section between the property and the garage.

“When crews arrived there was a considerable amount of smoke and a small amount of fire internally in the roof.

“We are now in the process of stripping the roof, removing tiles and damping down the burnt timbers between the two buildings.

“A fire can spread unseen so we need to make 100pc sure it has stopped.”