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Ashill landlord 'proud' of community after major fire

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Drone picture of Ashill fireShaun Whitmore/BBC
A fire in a neighbouring field got out of control and spread to homes in the village

The landlord of the pub in a village devastated by fire said the response from the community made him "proud".

Eleven homes were destroyed and several others were damaged in Ashill, Norfolk, last week when a fire in a field got out of control.

A crowdfunding page for those affected by the fire has raised more than £18,000.

Jonathan Pearson, from the White Hart Ashill, said: "It's been a very challenging few days in the village."

Landlord Jonathan Pearson
Landlord Jonathan Pearson has been providing food and shelter to those affected by the fire

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to the village, near Swaffham, at about 17:00 BST on 19 July, with 18 of them fighting the flames at their peak.

Temperatures in Norfolk were above 39C (102F) during the hottest parts of Tuesday.

Mr Pearson said: "A lot of people have lost their houses, a lot of people have lost everything, but the way the community have pulled together has been quite frankly amazing, and something that makes me, as someone who lives in the village, very proud."

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Drone picture of Ashill fireShaun Whitmore/BBC
Eleven properties in Ashill were destroyed by the fire
Shaun Whitmore/BBC Buildings in Ashill damaged by fireShaun Whitmore/BBC
Thousands of pounds has been raised to help residents

Alongside the online crowdfunding, donations of cash and cheques have taken the total raised for villagers to more than £25,000.

Alan Ketteringham, chairman of the parish council, said he was seeking "professional advice on how to distribute the money so it's done fairly and we make sure every penny given goes to the people who actually need it".

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