Rallying round

Both families' picturesque, thatched cottages were left uninhabitable after a blaze gutted one and a refuse lorry careered into another.

Nobody was badly injured in either incident and the owners of both homes have praised Amport villagers who have rallied round to help them.

In the first incident, on Monday, a chimney spark is thought to have started a blaze which destroyed the roof and upper floor of a cottage in Chapel Close which dates back to the 1600s.

Kingsley Cottage, has been in the hands of the Bone family for 99 years and has been the home of current owners, Martin and Diane Bone, since 1954.

"The family were at home for Christmas and neighbours alerted us and the fire brigade," said Mr Bone, aged 57, who runs a light haulage company.

"We had around 65 fire officers here dealing with the fire and people from all over the village came to help empty the house.

"With their help we have managed to save around 90 per cent of the contents."

The fire service meanwhile saved the shell of the ancient building and Mr Bone is hopeful the family will be able to return to live in the house in about a year.

"Fortunately we have family in the village we can stay with as we want to be close by," he added.

The following morning rescue services were called to a thatched cottage less than a quarter of a mile away after a refuse lorry, heading for Amport House, hit a patch of black ice and became embedded in the living room of Bridge Cottage.

Police described road conditions as 'a nightmare for everybody at the scene'.

The cottage, at the junction of Wiremead Lane and Furzedown Lane, was badly damaged in the accident but nobody was injured even though the house was occupied by a couple and their 15-year-old son. The couple heard a loud crash, found the lorry embedded in the front of the house, and the driver unconscious in the cab. But he soon came round, said the owner of the house, a local doctor.

For the full story see Friday's Andover Advertiser.