NEARLY 50 guests staying at the Ufford Park Hotel were evacuated in the early hours of today after a suspicious fire in the changing rooms.The fire took hold at around 4.

NEARLY 50 guests staying at the Ufford Park Hotel were evacuated in the early hours of today after a suspicious fire in the changing rooms.

The fire took hold at around 4.30am and damaged a noticeboard and some ceiling tiles in the men's changing rooms of the hotel.

The flames, which instantly set off fire alarms throughout the building, were put out with a fire extinguisher before fire crews arrived by deputy manager Linda Payne.

Phil Davis, duty manager of the hotel, said there would not normally be anyone in the changing rooms at the time of the fire and it is thought to have been started deliberately.

He praised the quick-thinking of his deputy manager and said: "Having a fire is everyone's worst nightmare but all of our staff are trained in dealing with them."

Fire crews from Woodbridge and Framlingham attended the blaze and ventilated the building, which was heavily smoke logged.