A CATHOLIC priest has spoken of his relief after a fire threatening to destroy a Hampshire church was caught early.

Father Vincent Convery said he was thankful he was around to raise the alarm when he saw smoke billowing from the roof of St Michael's Catholic Church in Hythe yesterday morning.

Firefighters were on the scene minutes later, and managed to prevent the fire spreading through the church.

Father Convery, the chaplain of Winchester Prison and Royal Hampshire County Hospital, had been staying in the church's attached residence overnight.

The priest took charge of weekend mass at the church following the departure of Father Patsy Foley.

He said: "We have absolutely no idea what could have caused the fire.

"It might have been an electrical fault or something along those lines but we really don't know yet.

"I was staying in the house next door and I noticed smoke coming from the roof at about 8.10am.

"All I can say is thank God I was here to call the fire service or it could have been a whole lot worse. Luckily no one was hurt in the fire."

More than 20 firefighters rushed to the church in Langdown Lawn after receiving a call from Fr Convery.

Crews from Hythe and Beaulieu used two appliances and an aerial ladder to control the fire, which was extinguished by 9am.

Firefighters wearing specialist breathing apparatus then entered the church. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are still unknown.