FIREFIGHTERS from across the county were sent to a village near Devizes during the early hours of today after they were alerted to a chimney fire at a thatched cottage.

Watch manager Richard Lake from Devizes fire station said: "We were called just after 2am when the occupier of the cottage in Marden, who had fallen asleep in the living room smelt smoke."

As the property had a thatched roof seven fire engines were sent to deal with the problem.

Mr Lake said: "You can't be too careful with thatched properties. We needed to make sure everything was completely dealt with so we stayed for about three hours to make sure there were no sparks left."

A couple, who had only moved into the property a couple of weeks earlier, were allowed to stay in the house while the firefighters cleared the chimney.

Mr Lake said: "We put ladders up to check the chimney from the top. The problem was in the flue. Everything we did was precautionary."

Crews from Pewsey, Devizes, Salisbury, Melksham, Ludgershall, Marlborough and Amesbury attended.