A Mid Sussex couple watched as the roof of their cottage was ripped apart during a fire.

The blaze started in the kitchen and spread to the roof of the cottage, near Albourne, at 1.30am today.

Fire crews were sent from Henfield, Keymer, and Hurstpierpoint.

The man and woman escaped from the cottage before the fire brigade arrived but firefighters had to rip off slate from the outside and wooden cladding on the inside of the roof to expose the beams and put out the blaze.

The fire at Rose Cottage took about an hour to put out. It is believed to have started in an Aga cooking range.

Firefighters were able to save most of the young couple's possessions in the lounge and bedroom.