People and puppies rescued from fire in Great Yarmouth

The Reverend Canon Simon Ward, the rector of Great Yarmouth, said he was “woken up by the smell of smoke so I came round straight away, just as the first fire engine was getting to work”.

“There was a gentleman at the top of the building and the fire brigade rescued him down a ladder and then other appliances and police arrived,” he said.

“They had to work hard to bring it under control but are doing a fantastic job – and the community are all looking out for each other as well.

“You can really see the devastation of the fire, and several of the locals were reflecting how these buildings have stood here for hundreds of years – and it’s heartbreaking to see history going up in smoke.”