Residents today spoke of their shock at being awoken in the middle of the night to find 60-foot flames billowing from the roof of a Shropshire supermarket.

A crowd of around 100 people gathered outside the Spar shop in Brunel Road, Malinslee, Telford, after the fire broke out just after midnight. Fire crews spent nearly seven hours controlling the fierce blaze.

But the Spar shop was completely destroyed in the fire – which police suspect is arson – and was still taped off this morning as officers continue to investigate.

Teenager Kirsty Dixon, who lives nearby, said she was woken by the sound of crackling.

“I heard this strange noise and I said to my mum and dad there must be a fire somewhere,” the 16-year-old said.

“I went outside and the shop was going up in flames.

“A massive crowd built up outside, there was around 100 people out there.

“I am just gutted, I have lived here all my life and the shop is an important part of the community.”

State

Sisters Wendy and Holly Powers, from Withywood Drive opposite the shop, managed to sleep through the whole incident.

Kelly said: “I went to bed at around 11pm last night and the first I heard of it was this morning when we woke up to see the shop in the state it is in now.

“We are just really shocked — this is our local shop and its ideal for getting bits and bobs when you can’t get into the town centre.

“The people who run it are really nice people and there is a great atmosphere in there, so we are gutted for them.”

A family living over the road from the supermarket had a lucky escape after a fire started in their airing cupboard while the Spar blaze was going on.

A neighbour ran over to fire crews to tell them she could smell smoke coming from a house in Withywood Drive.

Craig Jackson, watch manager at Tweedale fire station, said a woman and two children fled the house after a smoke alarm alerted them to the blaze.

“The lady told us she had smelt smoke earlier, but just presumed it was the fire over the road and opened her windows and went back to sleep,” he said.

“The smoke alarm in the house going off and alerting them probably saved their lives,” he added.

By Wayne Beese