Fire at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall River

The cookery school kitchens at TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage headquarters in Devon have been severely damaged by fire. The alarm was raised about 22:15 GMT on Tuesday and the fire took several hours to control. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters had also had to isolate two large tanks of liquid propane gas at the Axminster property. River Cottage said staff were trying to contact the chef who is filming abroad.

A statement said: "The River Cottage team are shocked and upset, and are dealing with the damage today. "Hugh is away on a long-distance filming trip and will be informed as soon as he can be contacted." River Cottage said its cookery school courses which are held in the converted barn would not be running "in the short term".

The Canteen restaurant and delicatessen, based in the centre of Axminster, has not been affected by the fire. Last August, the chef and his son had to be rescued by lifeboat when his boat became trapped on submerged rocks off the coast of Sidmouth.