FIVE fire crews battled a raging blaze at a village plant surgery for more than two hours after an industrial furnance went up in flames.

Firefighters from Clacton, Frinton, Weeley, Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe, were called to a property in Frinton Road, Thorpe-le-Soken, shortly before 4pm today.

After arriving at the scene, the crews were faced with burning cladding on top of a biomass boiler hopper - which is essentially a furnance full of wood.

The inferno was eventually brought under control and extinguished by 6.30pm, but firefighters remained onsite throughout the night.

Nick Singleton, station manager, said: "My thanks go out to the firefighters who worked really hard.

"We expect to be onsite into the evening as we strip the cladding away and make sure everything is cooled and safe."