Firefighters’ concern that oxyacetylene cylinders were involved in a major fire in Great Cheverell, near Devizes, on Monday night proved unfounded.

Two fire crews from Devizes were called to the blaze in a workshop at Wilding Engineering in the high street shortly before 8pm.

Pip Flowers, commander of Devizes fire station, said: “A neighbour thought there might be cylinders in the building, which was on fire from end to end, so we called out a third crew from Melksham.

"But the owner turned up shortly after and said there were no cylinders, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Two hose reels were used to fight the blaze, which was extinguished within an hour, but the contents of the workshop, including a tractor, were completely destroyed.

The cause of the fire may have resulted from a spark from welding work earlier in the evening, and the road through the village was closed for two hours while firefighters dealt with the blaze.