ZOO bosses say they are “devastated” after a fire in a ice cream freezer wrecked a café just weeks after they were able to reopen.

The Playa Patagonia Coffee Shop at Colchester Zoo has been gutted by the blaze which happened on Tuesday evening.

Visitors had just left for the day when the fire sparked behind the counter.

Staff were praised for their response and calmly guided the fire crews to the right place.

No people or animals were hurt.

It is the latest blow to the Maldon Road attraction which bosses say is facing a battle to the survive following the coronavirus lockdown.

The zoo was forced to shut for months before finally being able to reopen last month on a pre-booking and limited basis.

They were able to honour booking yesterday, but the coffee shop is shut with a rebuild likely to take several weeks.

A spokesman said: “Any fire incident is devastating and especially during these unprecedented times we are facing.

“This has added further worry and additional need of fighting for the zoo’s survival.

“We are just grateful that there were no injuries or casualties.

“We are relieved to confirm that no-one was harmed and the fire was contained within the coffee shop.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to the firefighters who were quickly on hand to extinguish the fire and to clear the building of smoke.”

Essex Fire and Rescue service watch manager Pete Donovan said: “Fire crews managed to get the fire under control quickly, but unfortunately the coffee shop has suffered extensive damage.

“The on-site staff did a fantastic job at raising the alarm, and due to it’s location, came and met us at the entrance so they could lead us to the building.”