A HOUSEHOLDER looked on in horror as fire destroyed the roof and part of the first floor of her home in Poole.

The blaze broke out just after 2pm on Saturday and firefighters from Poole and Westbourne were on the scene within minutes.

They found the roof of the two storey house on the corner of Marlborough Road and Bourne-mouth Road, Parkstone, well alight and called for assistance.

Crews from Springbourne, Christchurch, Hamworthy and Ferndown were then mobilised and an aerial platform brought in.

At one stage, the firefighters were forced to withdraw temporarily from the house when the roof started to collapse.

Flames were visible and smoke filled the air as 40 firefighters, some using breathing apparatus, battled to control the blaze.

The owner of the property, who is thought to have a relative living nearby, watched from the driveway of another house in Marlborough Road. She was too upset to speak to the Daily Echo.

The roof of the 1930s property was totally destroyed.

Sub officer Dave Cooper, of Poole, said: "It was a very dangerous fire because the roof collapsed through onto the ground floor.

"We got in there quickly and managed to save over 50 per cent of the property. We believe the fire was caused by an electrical fault in the roof space. The house had smoke alarms but they were all on the ground floor so the occupants were not alerted when the fire first started."

Thick smoke obliterated the normally busy Bournemouth Road and traffic was diverted away as police closed a quarter mile section of the road near St Osmund's Church for an hour-and-a-half.

"There was thick smoke billowing from the house and the flames were 50ft high. We had to close the road for public safety," said Sgt Ernie Henley, of Poole police.

There were no casualties.