A fire that broke out at The Crown at Wells on Saturday evening (21 December) was caused by a candle igniting a blackboard in the kitchen.

The incident, which was reported at 8.31pm, prompted a response from fire control, who mobilised a crew from Wells to the property in Market Place.

By the time the crew arrived, members of staff had successfully extinguished the fire using two fire extinguishers. The premises had been evacuated as a precaution.

Firefighters worked to clear smoke from the property using a battery-operated fan and confirmed it was safe before leaving the scene.

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed the cause of the fire was accidental.