Householders Barry and Mandy Carter were left devastated when a fire destroyed almost half of the roof of their bungalow.

The couple were in the sitting room of their home in Greystones, Bromham, when they were alerted to the fire by a plumber who had been fitting a central heating system in the property.

The plumber, who has not been named, tried to put the fire out with water but it spread into the roof space.

The plumber and Mr and Mrs Carter got out of the house after calling the fire brigade just after 1.30pm on Monday.

Two fire crews, from Devizes and Melksham, arrived and started tackling the blaze but needed more back up and a third appliance from Cooper Avon in Melksham was sent.

Six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the flames. Once the blaze was put out, a thermal imaging camera and infra red thermometer from Trowbridge Fire Station was used to check for hot spots in the roof and the house.

Station officer Andy Green, who was in charge of fighting the fire, said: "When the two fire crews arrived the roof was well alight and it was serious enough to request a third appliance."

The fire is believed to have happened when the plumber was soldering a water pipe and insulation in the cavity wall caught fire.

Mr Green said: "Despite the best efforts of the plumber the fire travelled upwards into the roof. The fire damaged 40 per cent of the roof."

Mr Carter, who runs a CCTV business, said the fire had also caused damage to one of the bedrooms.

Mr Carter praised the firefighters for the way they tackled the emergency.

When the fire had been put out the brigade's fire control unit from Warminster secured the roof.

That unit left the scene at 4.50pm.