In pictures - Banburyshire home may have to be demolished and rebuilt after major fire; Hornton villagers 'still reeling'

Fire fighters tackle the blaze at a cottage in Miller's Lane, Hornton on Sunday afternoon

Pictures in this report show firefighters from Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire tackling the blaze which was well-alight and intense by the time they arrived on the scene in Miller's Lane at about 3.30pm.

Before they got there, one villager (pictured) valiantly tried to damp the flames with his garden hose. Meanwhile others broke into the house to see if the occupants or their pets were inside. They then made attempts at moving out items of sentimental value.

It is understood a huge amount of damage has been caused by the vast amounts of water used to put out the burning thatch.

The fire was well alight in the thatch by the time fire service appliances arrived

The Banbury Guardian report on the outbreak of the fire can be read here.

A villager reported: "Hornton is still reeling from this tragic fire. Nine fire appliances from Banbury, Hook Norton and Kineton arrived with firefighters to extinguish the blaze but by the time they did so, the building was so badly damaged that it may have to be completely rebuilt. A great deal of the damage was caused by water from fire hoses.

"The fire started at the base of a telegraph pole on the other side of the road. It then spread up the pole at lightning speed because it was coated in flammable bitumen. It then went across to the thatched cottage via a wire at the top.

"The only consolation is that no one was hurt as the cottage was unoccupied at the time and neighbours were able to salvage some items of sentimental value."