PUBLICAN Philip Summers has praised firefighters for saving his village pub after fire broke out in an upstairs room.

Mr Summers, landlord of the Crown and Anchor in Ramsbury, believes the damage would have been far worse had it not been for the quick response of fire crews on Sunday.

Shortly before 11am, firefighters from Ramsbury, Marlborough, Hungerford and Swindon tackled the blaze, which badly damaged the first floor living area, but they stopped it spreading to the rest of the pub.

Mr Summers, who owns and lives at the free house with his partner Marina Marcolongo, said: "If it hadn't been for the fire brigade there wouldn't be a pub. The Ramsbury fire crew were here in no more than five minutes and I cannot praise them too highly.

"They had the fire out, the property made secure, the roof covered with canvas and all the fire-damaged stuff removed in very quick time. It was unbelievable."

The upstairs of the pub will take months to repair, though Mr Summers says he hopes to be able to open the pub again within a month.

The community of Ramsbury has rallied round to help the couple, who have run the pub for the last six years.

Mr Summers said: "There was a massive response from local people. We have had numerous offers of accommodation until the pub is habitable again. We didn't know but there is a Ramsbury Charity which exists for situations just like this and we have had a cheque to buy new clothes.

"That is why we live in a place like Ramsbury. If ever you are in trouble, everyone rallies round to help."

Once he is in a position to do so, he says he will reciprocate all the help and support he has received.

Mr Summers had nipped out of the pub on Sunday morning and returned to see flames shooting through the roof. He ran inside but was beaten back by the smoke. Meanwhile Ms Marcolongo had fled to safety.

He said: "We have lost everything. The sum total of 50 years of our lives has just gone up in smoke. It is heart-breaking.

"But I cannot get over the efficiency of the fire service and the generosity of the people in the village. It is humbling."

The couple are staying in a cottage in the village lent to them by a resident. Mr Summers said that not a day goes by when someone doesn't call in with gifts.

No cause for the blaze has yet been found but fire investigators are not treating it as suspicious.