DOZENS of people were evacuated from a 600-year-old pub after it caught fire on Saturday night.

More than 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Horse and Jockey, in Faringdon Road, Stanford in the Vale, late into the night as flames took hold in the roof.

The fire was spotted by drinkers in the beer garden, who were enjoying a pint during the weekend heatwave.

Neill Lawson, 60, from East Challow, noticed that there were flames coming from the roof when he was drinking outside.

He alerted publican Chris Gaunt, who was inside the pub, and they quickly began to help evacuate the building at around 9.20pm.

Mr Gaunt and Mr Lawson took a fire extinguisher up to one of the pub’s bedrooms but found it filled with black smoke.

Mr Lawson said: “The smoke was acrid and I could hear roof tiles falling on to the ceiling above us.

“It was painfully obvious that we had to get out straight away.”

More than 25 people, including children, rushed to leave the pub and its beer garden at the front of the property to get to a safe area across Faringdon Road as firefighters tackled the rapidly spreading fire.

Mr Lawson said: “Everyone left in a calm and orderly fashion. No one was injured.

“I feel very sorry for the owners because it’s their home, but at least nobody was hurt.”

Eight fire and rescue vehicles from Oxfordshire & Wiltshire attended the incident, along with six specialist support vehicles, including one from the Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Crews from Wantage, Abingdon, Didcot, Rewley Road in Oxford, Witney, Swindon, and Stratton St Margaret were drafted in.

They were joined by firefighters from other stations throughout the county as the incident continued.

The fire spread across the pub’s roof, leaving timbers exposed.

An ambulance that was called at 9.50pm remained at the scene until around midnight to provide medical support for the firefighters – but was not needed.

The pub is owned by Mr Gaunt and his wife, Anna. Their daughter, Georgy, is the head chef.

Part of the A417 Faringdon Road was closed while the fire raged.

Police and fire crews remained on scene until around 1am.

Incident commander Gary Coupar said that the quick arrival of the crews undoubtedly helped to save a large proportion of the building and its contents.

An Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said the fire was not considered to be suspicious, but an investigation had been launched to determine its cause.

The spokesman said: “Initial crews arrived on the scene within eight minutes of the call.

“They were faced with a developing fire in the roof of a detached public house, and involved first and second floors.

“Firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus, worked from ladders and an aerial ladder platform to create a firebreak, to try to save the remainder of the premises. Later they undertook salvage operations.

“A large number of people were in the property at the time, but they were all safely evacuated.”