THE OWNERS of a 300-year-old Grade II listed cottage badly damaged in a thatch fire say they are determined to restore it to its former glory.

Eight fire appliances tackled a blaze that devastated Woodside Cottage, Minstead, which has been in the same family's ownership for three centuries.

Roland and Karen Farmers, both 42, were about to welcome guests when they realised a fire had broken out in the chimney stack, and tried to fight it with a hose but were thwarted because of their frozen pipes.

Today a huge tarpaulin is draped over the roof and loss investigators have been assessing the damage at the property following the fire on Friday night.

"The cottage has been in our family for 300 years," said Mr Farmers. "My wife and I are very passionate about it. It has lots of character and it is certainly our intention to restore it to its rightful splendour."