New lease of life for mansion destroyed by fire

The National Trust hopes to rebuild Clandon Park mansion, it has been announced today.

The Grade-I listed 18th Century building, near Guilford, was reduced to a charred shell after a fire earlier this year.

An estimated 80 firefighters tackled the fire which happened in April this year. It's believed the blaze began in the basement before spreading to the rest of the house.

The property is regarded as one of the finest Palladian mansions in the UK and featured a valuable collection of furniture.

A specialist team will be attempting to salvage what they can from the stately home.The National Trust say that although the roof and floors collapsed during the blaze, the outer walls are still largely in tact.

The full extent of the damage is still unclear and investigations are ongoing.