Fifty firefighters tackled a blaze in the roof of a south Norfolk house whilst its owner was on holiday.

Fifty firefighters tackled a blaze in the roof of a south Norfolk house whilst its owner was on holiday.

Crews were called to the fire in the roof space of the home in West Church Street, in Kenninghall, near Diss, just after 3am yesterday .

Firefighters from East Harling, Attleborough, Diss, and Thetford, as well as the brigade's aerial ladder platform and water carrier spent more than four hours tackling the blaze at Church Farmhouse West, next to St Mary's Church.

Watch manager Peter Edwards, from East Harling fire station, said crews managed to stop the fire from spreading and restricted the damage to the roof and an upstairs bedroom.

'It was reasonably severe and the fire had already broken out by the time we arrived. Crews got to work fairly quickly and managed to stop it. We have moved all the furniture to minimise water damage and will sheet the roof,' he said.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been established and fire investigation officers were on the scene yesterday afternoon .

No one was inside the house at the time of the incident and the owner has been informed.