SIXTY-five firefighters from across the region tackled a fire at an historic thatched cottage in the New Forest last night.

The blaze destroyed the roof of the picturesque building, which was only re-thatched in September.

The cottage, in Anna Lane, North Ripley, near Ringwood, was built in 1638 and has been the home of the Lockyer family since the 1930s.

None of the well-known New Forest family was hurt in the blaze and firefighters hope they may have saved the fabric of the building.

Firefighters fought for four hours to save as much of the burning building as possible.

They were working on the roof to create fire-breaks in the tinder-dry thatch while others pumped water from a nearby stream to stem the flames. They also braved the flames to try to save treasured family possessions.

Fire service spokesman David Askew said: "Thatch fires are always very difficult to handle because of the nature of the roofing material. It was a very hot and dirty job for the firefighters. It is very labour intensive," he said. "You need people in breathing apparatus and you need relief crews for them. You need people raking the straw off the building and you have another team going in and out of the building.''

The problem with thatch is you put water on it and it runs off. You have got to get it under control otherwise it spreads."