A CAFE boss was left with a major clean-up operation after a fire left his business severely smokelogged.

The fire broke out at the Dairy Bucket, in St Osyth, just before 6.30pm on Tuesday.

There was no-one in the building at the time.

It is believed a woman, whose son was having lessons at the swimming pool next door, saw smoke coming out of a vent and dialled 999 to raise the alarm.

Fire crews from Clacton and Weeley went to the scene.

The incident commander said the single-storey building, in Beach Road, had been heavily smoke-logged when the brigade arrived.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire, which was put out by 7pm.

Dairy Bucket boss Peter Bauer was yesterday clearing up the damage caused by smoke and water.

He has been running the cafe for ten years.

The fire happened just as soaring temperatures sent sunseekers heading for the Tendring coast, but Mr Bauer hopes to reopen by the weekend.

“There was no fire damage, but the boiler melted because of the heat,” he said.

“There is a lot of cleaning to do and we need a new sink."

Mr Bauer praised the fire brigade for arriving at the scene “very quickly”.

The cause of the fire is being investigated, but is not thought to be suspicious.