Fire rips through church roof (From The Oxford Times)

Fire rips through church roof

7:12pm Sunday 12th February 2012 in Witney By Damian Fantato

FIREFIGHTERS battled a blaze in the roof of a church in Charlbury this afternoon.

They were called to St Mary the Virgin, Church Street, at 12.30pm and were at the scene for nearly six hours.

Sections of the roof had to be cut away to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the church.

Vicar Judy French said: “I am shocked and obviously upset but it is one of those things. We will work hard to get it sorted."

By the time the fire had started the Sunday morning service had finished and the parishioners had left.

The cause of the fire is unclear at this stage.

A total of eight fire engines attended the blaze and crews plan to return during the night to check the fire has not reignited.

Nobody was injured.