NEIGHBOURS today spoke of the blitz spirit which took over in their Suffolk village after fire ripped through a cottage.The cottage, in The Alley, Monks Eleigh, caught fire just before 11pm last night and has been left a shell with severe smoke and fire damage.

NEIGHBOURS today spoke of the blitz spirit which took over in their Suffolk village after fire ripped through a cottage.

The cottage, in The Alley, Monks Eleigh, caught fire just before 11pm last night and has been left a shell with severe smoke and fire damage.

It was dangerously close to a thatched property but luckily the fire was stopped from spreading. The occupants of the cottage were not at home at the time.

Kathy Haddow's home backs on to the cottage and she said it was frightening just how close the fire got.

"I was asleep but a neighbour came to wake us up at about 11.30pm. They called the fire brigade and woke everyone up. There was a real Blitz spirit and everyone helped each other.

"It was quite scary because you do not realise how quickly it can spread. I was worried it was going to take our home with it. My partner had to have oxygen because of the smoke and the whole area smells terrible. I would just like to say how great the fire service was," she said.

John Roberts and his sister Sylvia Roberts, who live opposite the cottage in The Manse, called the fire service.

"I was waving goodbye to some friends when I saw all the smoke," said Sylvia.

She continued: "I saw the young man who is renting the cottage, but he is French so it was difficult to tell him what was happening. But we all pulled together as a village and we had the elderly lady who lives next door to the cottage staying with us last night. We made tea and coffee for everyone and the fire service did a wonderful job," she added.

Appliances from Hadleigh, Sudbury, Melford and Bury went along to the fire. An inspection of the fire will be carried out today and as yet the cause of the fire is unknown.