Heroes tackle blaze that threatened Oldbury church

Thornbury firefighters tackled two fires at St Arilda's church in Oldbury-on-Severn, where one of them is set to marry soon, after frantic residents tried in vain to stop the blaze reaching the church walls and nearby properties.

Crews were returning from offering assistance in Bristol when they were mobilised to the fires at the church, one in a corn field affecting trees, hedgerow and roadside verge and a larger fire up around the church which spread to surrounding fields and hedgerows.

 The firefighters surrounded the spreading flames with beaters and high pressure hose reels, as several local farmers used their mechanical equipment to put in fire breaks and spray the hedges, banks and edges of the field after local residents had began fighting the blaze with buckets of water.

Thornbury firefighters said they have  dealt with four times more calls in August than a usual month and were returning from providing cover in Bristol when their crews were mobilised to a domestic garage fire before being called to the church.

Residents rushed to Facebook to thank those who helped, Clare Marie Padbury posted: "Well done to all involved in helping put the fire out and saving the church and surrounding area! Heroes!"

A spokesperson for Thornbury Fire Service said: "Thank you so much for everyone who helped with this and for all those local residents who brought us drinks and even ice lollies to keep us going. 

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"Another great thing that the church was safe, is that one of our crew who was fighting the fire is getting married there in three weeks time!"

"Also thank you to our heroes in headsets- our Avon Fire & Rescue Service control room staff who have had a busy few weeks taking an unprecedented number of calls and balancing fire cover across our community.