AN ELDERLY couple are feared dead after their cottage in the grounds of Blenheim Palace was destroyed in a fire.

It is thought the couple were inside when fire ravaged their home on Tuesday night, before the 'smouldering' remains were discovered on Wednesday morning.

Today, photographs captured by Woodstock resident Heidi Nielsen on Thursday morning have revealed the full extent of the damage to the The Fisheries Cottage.

The 44-year-old, who lives in Hill Rise, said she could still see and smell the smoke when she visited the palace grounds on Thursday.

She added: "I was shocked, I couldn't believe it. It was still smoking on Thursday morning.

"I walked past that cottage everyday with my dog.

"I have seen the elderly lady a couple of times but it was mostly the dog as it was outside and it would always trott over and say hello to mine.

"I think people are just shocked this happened it does not seem real, we are all saddened by this."

The mother-of-three said that she had always seen smoke coming from the chimneys as they 'always had fires going'.

Richard Leonard, who owns a wine shop in Woodstock, tweeted a picture of smoke still coming out of the cottage.

Jan Thomas, who lives in Woodstock, said she was visiting the palace grounds at around 8am when she saw the smoke.

She said: "I arrived at about eight o'clock, one of the gardeners had just found the cottage in that awful state.

"It was just smouldering at that point and the roof was all caved in.

Oxford Mail: Blenheim house fire

"It is absolutely terrible to hear that two people were in there, I really had hoped that the people that lived there had just gone away and thankfully escaped it.

"I was just so shocked, I couldn't believe what I was seeing."

Oxford Mail:

Police have so far not confirmed the identity of the missing couple, but say the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

Ms Thomas said she had seen emergency services descend on the palace grounds and the next day began placing cordons around the property.

She added: "I think they also had a dog called Blaze.

"It really is so sad."

It is believed that the cottage, which is to the north of the lakes in the palace grounds, was one of the last 'grace and favour' cottages given to people who had worked at Winston Churchill's birthplace.

The cottage pre-dates the palace itself, having been built in the 1600s.

Oxford Mail:

Investigating officer, detective sergeant Robert Platt from Thames Valley Police Force CID, based at Banbury, said: "Sadly at this stage we strongly believe that two occupants living at the property are still inside.

"We are working with the next of kin of the occupants and giving them regular updates, as our multi agency team continues to search the property.

"At this stage we believe that there are no suspicious circumstances, and along with Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue we continue to investigate the cause of the fire."

Structural engineers were brought to the grounds to secure the stability of the house before a full search of the property could begin.

Oxford Mail:

Part of the footpath that surrounds the cottage will be closed to the public until Monday.

Police have confirmed that a search of the property remains ongoing.