Firefighters at The Three Pigeons, Oswestry

Scores of customers had to be evacuated from a Shropshire pub after fire broke out at the premises.

Firefighters managed to contain yesterday’s blaze at the Three Pigeons in Oswestry to the kitchen annexe and cellar.

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But the pub will remain closed until specialists assess the damage, its owners said today.

The Three Pigeons, in Albert Road, reopened last month after being taken over by the Oswestry-based New Saints Football Club.

The fire is believed to have started among boxes outside but soon spread through a cellar and into the roof space above the kitchen.

Customers in the sports bar were watching televised football when they were alerted by a passer-by who saw the smoke. Staff evacuated the building and four fire crews arrived to fight the blaze just before 5.30pm.

Firefighters from Oswestry and Shrewsbury used breathing equipment and spent more than an hour tackling the blaze.

A fire officer at the scene said the main blaze was soon dealt with, but firefighters used thermal imaging equipment to search the premises thoroughly to make sure there was no-one remaining inside.

Crews worked for several hours to damp down and remove part of the roof of the annexe to make it safe.

The pub was reopened by The New Saints Welsh Premier League football club last month. The club also runs The Venue pub at its ground at Park Hall on the edge of Oswestry.

Deputy manager of the pub, Gordon Evans, said: “The Three Pigeons will re-open as soon as possible. The fire hasn’t affected the main part of the pub, just the kitchen and toilets. But it will remain closed until the damage has been assessed.”

He said the evacuation procedure had worked well and said firefighters had done a good job.

Neighbour Liz Williams said the pub was soon evacuated after staff realised there was a fire. She said: “The fire teams seemed to bring it under control quite quickly but then other fires seemed to start. It was very busy because many people were watching the football.”

The pub had been the heart of the community with landlords John and Wendy Roberts at the helm.

But the couple were forced to close saying they were hit by the smoking ban, which hit trade particularly in the winter, and from competition from cheap alcohol in supermarkets.

By Brett Gibbons