Firefighters are currently battling a large blaze in a west Norfolk village.

Crews were called to the fire in Brancaster Staithe at about 4.50pm, with at least five engines called to the scene.

The fire started on a field near the White Horse pub in the village, just off the A146 on the south side of the road.

People are now being evacuated from their homes in Brancaster Staithe and the nearby Burnham Deepdale, after flames reached the gardens of homes on the A146.

Phil Hartshorne, who works at Staithe Smokehouse, said it was unlike anything the village has seen before, with sheds burned to the ground.

He said: "It started small but then it got closer and closer to the homes.

"We had a fire a few years back and we've had trouble with floods, but we've never seen anything like this."

Thick black smoke and flames could be seen from across the village during the fire's peak.

A business owner in Burnham Deepdale said: "The fire was behind the homes opposite the White Horse Pub.

"You could just see black smoke billowing up into the air.

"I could see the gardens were all black from where they had been burned.

"There was about five or six fire engines on the scene.

"People were being evacuated and neighbours were handing out water and helping get older people out of their homes.

"It's really scary a thing like this happening in such a small village. You see it on the news and it happens in other places but you never think about it happening to you.

"If anything else it was nice to see people pulling together and helping each other."