A huge fire which devastated a pub has left residents fearing the “heart of the village” has been lost for good.

Firefighters were called to the King’s Head in Bradwell at about 4.45pm on Friday after an industrial fryer fire erupted while the owners watched golf.

The blaze, deemed accidental by investigators, was eventually extinguished by about 7pm after four fire engines and a local farmer used gallons of water to put it out.

Farmer Kevin Scurrell, of Wallen Farm, was praised for helping firefighters to quell the blaze.

He said: “I got down there about 6pm. A bystander was talking to the fire brigade and they said they couldn’t get enough water pressure.

“He came up to me and asked me to take a water bowser up. We had a tanker that was full of water, about 18,000 liters, so we took it down there.

“It’s terrible. The roof is completely gone.”

Jamie Brew, 15, said he felt sorry for the pub’s owners, who were also his employers: “They are always enthusiastic about the pub. This is where they live and where they work so they lost everything pretty much.

“I usually work there in the kitchen on Saturday nights, but not anymore.”