Firefighters are currently damping down a large blaze near Swaffham, where several homes caught fire.

Crews were called to the fire in a field behind in The Oaks in Ashill at about 5pm, where about 15 engines were on the scene.

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The blaze quickly spread to the village centre as far as The Green adjacent to the duck pond where homes could be seen burning, with all roads into Ashill closed.

Other homes in close proximity to the fire were evacuated.

It is thought that no one has been injured in the fire.

Will Conran, who lives nearby, said many parts of the village were still burning, hours after the blaze started.

He said: "There's an awful lot of activity here even hours on.

"It originated in a wheat field and has spread into various properties, it's gone an awful long way.

"Lots of homes are on fire and some of them had just been modernised, you can see the builder's equipment in the gardens.

"People are devastated, there's smoke everywhere and police are giving people masks because it's black smoke, I was coughing and wheezing.

"There are firefighters still arriving on the scene hours after and the police have declared it a major incident."

People living in the area said they were shocked at how quickly the fire reached the centre of the village.

One woman living in the area, who did not wish to be named, said: "It has been causing carnage, it started on the field behind the houses and quickly got closer.

"I hope everyone in those houses is okay."

A man living nearby added that high winds in the area had not helped the situation blowing the flames toward homes.

He said: "It was a massive field fire and now people's houses are burning, crews are attempting to sort it but this wind is helping no one."

An aerial ladder platform and support pump remain at the scene this morning.

A spokesman said some homes have been lost.