DRAMATIC photos have emerged showing how a devastating fire quickly spread and has now left a family homeless.

The blaze happened around 2pm yesterday in Regents Close, Colchester, and initially started in a garden shed.

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Firefighters from Colchester and Clacton were called to the scene but arrived to find the blaze had spread to another shed and two nearby houses.

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It took crews more than an hour to extinguish the fire but they were unable to prevent serious damage being caused to one of the properties.

Fire and smoke damage have left the house inhabitable and the fire service says the family living there are now homeless.

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The neighbouring property which was also on fire also suffered some damage.

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental.

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