Emergency services have been rushed to a large fire in the village of Blaxhall this evening.

Ipswich Star: Much of Langham Road was cordoned off Picture: ARCHANTMuch of Langham Road was cordoned off Picture: ARCHANT (Image: Archant)

Much of Langham Road in the village is cordoned off this evening as a result of a thatch fire in two semi-detached cottages. Firefighters were called to the scene just after 8.45pm to the cottages that were said to be well alight.

Fire crews have been forced to strip the thatch from the roof of the properties as it was "fully involved" in the fire according to officers.

In total 17 vehicles were sent to the scene including vehicles from Woodbridge, Princes Street, Framlingham, Orford, Aldeburgh, Leiston, Saxmundham, Southwold, Wrentham, Debenham, Halesworth, Stradbroke and Haverhill.

Crews set up two generators nearby to help pump water out of a brook to deal with the blaze.

Ipswich Star: A large fire has broken out in Blaxhall Picture: GOOGLE MAPSA large fire has broken out in Blaxhall Picture: GOOGLE MAPS (Image: Archant)

A spokesman for Suffolk Fire and Rescue said that the building was well alight but that the fire was under control.

No-one was inside the building at the time of the fire.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said that it had a car down at the scene to deal with the smoke filled roads nearby. Motorists travelling around the Blaxhall area have been warned to take care of the smoke, poor visibility and wet roads in the area which have resulted from the fire and the pumped water.

One witness reported that a road from between the neighbouring villages of Tunstall and Snape was also thick with smoke as a result of the fire.

Members of the public have been requested to avoid the area by fire crews.