Cheesewring Hotel fire: Cornwall pub destroyed - roads close as crews tackle blaze

Watch: Station manager Andy Sleeman on the fire at the historic pub.

A pub in the Cornwall village of Minions has been largely destroyed by a fire.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service attended the historic Cheesewring Hotel on Bodmin Moor at 8.21am after reports of a "residential fire".

All roads through the village are closed as firefighters work to tackle the blaze.

Station manager Andy Sleeman said: "On arrival there was a lot of heavy smoke in the area and the crews did manage to get in there and make an attack on the fire but with the internal structure failing they had to firefight it externally.

"Since then the wind's got in and ripped through the building, really damaged it top to bottom.

"No time is a good time for this but this close to Christmas, with pubs struggling it's an absolutely nightmare", he added.

Although it is not yet known what caused the fire, a spokesperson from the fire service said some parts of the building have "internally collapsed" and described "thick smoke" on the ground floor level.

At just after 9am, the fire service reported the blaze had spread to the upper floor and roof.

Six fire pumps and specialist appliances including the aerial ladder are being used by firefighters.

Residents nearby are being advised to keep all windows closed and stay indoors.

Nobody has been hurt in the incident.