ARSONISTS are believed to  be responsible for a fire that  has destroyed part of a  church in Bradninch.

Church and Scout leaders  have expressed their sadness  at the blaze that broke out in  an annexe at the back of the  Bradninch Baptist Church  just after 11pm on Friday.

  Only the quick action of  firefighters prevented the  flames from affecting the  main church that had only  opened after an extensive refurbishment a few months  ago.

But it has left the local  Scout group without a home  as the annexe  has been virtually destroyed.

As police and fire investigators continued to survey  the damage, parishioners  stopped at the taped-off gates  and express their shock at  what happened.

Church deacon Sylvia  Scurr said: “I arrived about  11.45pm and there were three  fire engines and numerous  firemen and the road had  been cordoned off. We left  about 1am and it was still  going on then.

 “As far as we can see it has  not affected the main  church,  which we are thankful for as we had just spent an  awful lot of money on having  it refurbished.

“It is sickening really.  Having just opened in  September after a year of  being closed for refurbishment all I wanted to do last  night was cry. But I am  thankful no one was in there  and buildings can be replaced. It will cost several  thousand pounds but we are  insured.”

The church secretary,  Doreen Mears,  said they had  to cancel yesterday’s service  as a result of the fire.

She said: “The gas, electricity and water was all  switched off.  We all met together but were unable to  hold a service. We are in  limbo at the moment but it  looks like the main church  has escaped okay. It is very  upsetting though.”

Fellow deacon Rita Painter   said: “I only heard about it in  the morning so I  went  up to  have a look at the damage.

 “Upstairs is a bit of a mess.  It is very sad but no one was  hurt which is a big relief.”

   Jon Williams, the leader of  the 1st Bradninch Scout  Group which  meets in the  damaged room, said: “I  heard  on Saturday  night  from someone who lived  nearby who said there had  been a fire but did not know  where.

 “I was very shocked and it  is obviously distressing for a  lot of people involved in it.

 “At the moment I do not  know what has been damaged, but it appears the room  we use has been worst hit  and I don’t know what is  going to happen to the group  no It does not look like we  will be able to use it for a few  months.

 “This affects almost 100   kids and is a real shame.

 “We definitely won’t stop  but we will have to look at a  contingency plan.”

Simon Walton, the scenes  of crime officer,  said described it as a “fierce fire,”  while George Setter, the fire  investigating officer,  paid  tribute to his crews.

 He said: “It was a fully  developed fire at the rear of  the church in two rooms  which had spread to the roof.  Crews did very well preventing the fire spreading to the  main roof of the church by  cutting away part of the  structure, so it has not affected the main church.”

One villager, who was in  the area at the time, said:  “We went out last night at  about 10.30pm and could  smell burning but did not  think anything of it.

 “We were sat in the pub  and about an hour later  someone came running out  to say the church was on fire.   The road was shut but some  people said they could see  flames coming out of the  roof.”

The fire service said 25 per  cent of the roof and 50 per  cent of the first floor of  the  annexe was severely damaged by fire, while half of the  ground floor was damaged  by smoke. Investigations are  on-going but the cause is believed to be “deliberate ignition.”