In southern England, a small farming village is almost completely destroyed in an afternoon fire

The small village of Damerham in western Hampshire was almost completely burned to the ground after a fire began in one of the cottages in the early afternoon.  Twenty-seven homes were destroyed along with farm buildings on the edge of the hamlet.  Most of the buildings had thatched roofs and were easily caught up in the flames.  Thanks mainly to the hour of the disaster, no-one was killed or seriously injured.  (By John Osborne)