FIREFIGHTERS were called to the Seven Stars Hotel in Totnes early today to deal with a chimney fire.

The alarm was raised around 6.30am.

Sixteen people were evacuated from the 21-bedroom hotel by staff and a fire spokesman said the chimney was 'well alight'.

Firefighters were concerned about the stability of the chimney which was cracked by the fire, and engineers were there to assess it.

Police closed Fore Street while two fire crews with an aerial platform put out the fire. The road was remaining closed while the structural survey was completed.

The cause was not yet known, the fire service said.