FIREFIGHTERS were called to tackle a blaze that devastated a former Hampshire pub.

Flames had already ripped through the roof of The Flying Boat Inn at Calshot when firefighters arrived on the scene at 9am yesterday.

The building was part of the former RAF flying boat base at Calshot before it was converted into a pub and restaurant.

It closed a few years ago after being hit by a prolonged period of falling trade.

Yesterday's fire was witnessed by Jon Holmes of Bramble Bank Cottages, Calshot, who said it was a sad sight to see the building go up in flames.

He said: "It used to be the officer's mess at the former base, so in that sense it was historic. It was a great shame to see it destroyed by the fire, although it had been disused for some time.

"We live just around the corner and saw the smoke coming from the pub around 9am when we got there the whole place was well ablaze, it had gone right through the roof."

No-one was hurt in the fire as the building was unoccupied.

Around 20 firefighters from Hythe, Hardley, Beaulieu and Totton were called to the fire, the cause of which is being investigated.

The blaze comes just days after an application to convert part of the building into social housing was thrown out by New Forest District Council.

Members said the application would contravene a planning policy that aimed to conserve the Forest by preventing new homes being built in the open countryside.

Plans to turn the building into leisure suites were granted in 1998, but the scheme had not been implemented.