Residents fear the "heart of the village" has been lost after a fire tore through a public house in Bradwell-on-Sea.

Firefighters were called to the King's Head on the High Street at about 4.44pm where the entire top floor of the two storey building was alight.

Next door neighbour James Quinlan, 37, said: "It is such a shame for this to happen to them. It is the pub right in the heart of the village."

Mr Quinlan's wife, Joanna, 34, was at home when the blaze started.

She said: "I just saw lots of smoke, I went outside to see if there was anyone running out of the pub.

"I just grabbed the kids, called the fire brigade and moved the car."

Electricity Board engineers and a structural engineer were called to isolate power and deal with external wiring.

British Telecom engineers were also asked to attend the scene to help remove telephone lines so that an aerial ladder platform could be positioned closer to the property.

Firefighters used four hose reels and the aerial ladder platform to bring the fire under control.

The fire was extinguished by 7pm.