Honiton firefighters helped tackle a blaze in a shop in Exeter that spread to the flats above, leading to three people having to be rescued.

The fire broke out in Fore Street in the early evening of Tuesday, August 3, and crews were called out from across Devon to stop it spreading to neighbouring buildings.

At its peak there were eight appliances at the scene, with two aerial ladder platforms, support vehicles and crews from Torquay, Bovey Tracey, Danes Castle, Exmouth, Crediton, Cullompton, Honiton, Tiverton, Middlemoor and Martock stations.

At 10.15pm they were all still in attendance except from one of the aerial ladder platforms, which returned to base. About an hour later, two fire engines remained at the scene as all the others left.

Both the ground and first floors were left with fire and smoke damage. The fire is not being treated as suspicious and is believed to have started accidentally.