FIREFIGHTERS were faced with exploding gas cylinders and falling power cables as they battled a blaze at a scout hut this morning.

About 26 firefighters from six stations were called to the hut in Upper Church Road, Shedfield, at 3am.

The timber framed building, used by scouts each week, was completely destroyed in the fire, which investigators believe is suspicious.

Firefighters battling to get the blaze under control were hampered by the exploding gas cylinders which they tackled by laying unattended hoses on the ground and standing back until the canisters were safe.

Overhead electricity cables also began falling down, forcing them to retreat from the scene.

The electricity board was then called and engineers set up an exclusion zone while they made the area safe for the firefighters to continue tackling the blaze. At 7am this morning they were still damping down the 15 metre by 10 metre timber framed building which had been totally razed to the ground.

David Askew, spokesman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "When we got there the building was fully involved in fire, burning from end to end. A fire investigation is under way and from what we know so far the think it is suspicious."

A resident who lives nearby and did not wish to be named said: "The sound of fire engines woke me up early this morning and I could smell the place on fire. The flames were shooting up into the air but by the time the firefighters got there it was already too late.It is terrible because the scouts use the hut every week, I don't know what they will do now."