Family enjoying meal forced to escape fire

A family was forced to flee their home after a fire broke out while they were having dinner.

The fire broke out at around 6.30pm on Boxing Day, causing severe damage to the roof and first floor of the house in Gravenhunger Lane, Woore, near Market Drayton.

Fire crews from Market Drayton, Prees, Oswestry and Shrewsbury fought the fire, along with crews from Staffordshire and Cheshire.

The cost of the damage is as yet unknown.

Roger Smith, watch manager at Market Drayton Fire Station, said: "The actual fire involved a stable block which then spread through the roof space to the main house.

"It caused severe damage to the main roof and the first floor, but thankfully it happened early in the evening otherwise the consequences could have been a lot more dire."

Mr Smith said an occupant of the house was alerted by a dog barking as flames were coming from the stable block.