More than 50 firefighters were called to DG Homecare in Watlington on Friday (April 7) when the hardware store went up in flames.

Thought to be caused by either an accident or an electrical fault, the fire was reported at around 7pm on Friday evening. Firefighters on the scene were faced with a “rapid-developing fire on the ground and first floor” of the store, which has been operating on the high street for more than 30 years.

The firefighters were praised for “working tirelessly” to bring the inferno under control, with Marcus Reay from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service saying: “I was very proud of my firefighters who worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control, in hot conditions using breathing apparatus, ladders and hose lines, in getting water onto the fire to stop it spreading.

"They worked tremendously together as a team and everybody put in a great deal of effort. Fortunately there were no casualties."

Police cordoned off the area while the firefighters tackled the blaze, with the high street remaining closed on Easter Saturday. An investigation is now underway to determine the definite cause of the fire.

It is thought that the owners of the store, a Mr and Mrs Starling, lived next door to the premises.