Passing driver spotted blaze (From Barry And District News)

Passing driver spotted blaze

THE Vale of Glamorgan's oldest pub was ravaged in a fire that ripped through its thatched roof.

The Blue Anchor was built in 1380. It was not only the focal point of the Aberthaw community, but a hugely popular venue throughout the Vale and Cardiff.

But last Friday a blaze swept through the roof, destroying it and burning through to the first floor.

The alarm was raised by a passing driver at around 9.50am, who alerted the current owner, Jeremy Coleman, and his father, John, who were inside.

The motorist, businessman Julian Morgan, used the telephone in the bar to call the fire brigade. Then he helped Jeremy fight the flames until firefighters arrived.

Throughout the day, nine fire engines and seven special appliances, along with more than 50 firefighters, battled the blaze.

They were at the scene for several hours, trying desperately to save the 14th century building.

As they wrestled with the flames from a hydraulic gantry, others pulled unlit thatch and smouldering beams from the path of the fire, tossing them on to the road below and damping them down.

Despite the best efforts of the fire-fighters, the dry weather and vigorous winds drove the flames across the top of the entire pub, only sparing the restaurant because it has a slate roof.

The main road leading through Aberthaw was closed as soon as the fire engines arrived at the scene, and remained shut until around 2pm that afternoon.

The fire brigade was still inspecting the scene at 1.15am the following morning and did not close the incident until 7.47am.

There are now temporary traffic lights controlling traffic past the scaffolding that has been erected around the structure.

A South Wales Fire Service spokesman said: "There is no investigation into the cause of the fire, which most likely originated in the chimney flue."