A fire has damaged stock at a DIY store in Liskeard, with as many as 80 firefighters drafted in to tackle the flames at the height of the blaze.

Crews worked through the night to contain the fire at Homebase in Plymouth Road, Liskeard, after it broke out just after midnight.

While the store tself was not badly damaged, as much as 30% of the stck was destroyed.

A fire service spokesman said: "On the initial call for this incident, one pump from Liskeard attended for the fire alarm sounding. On arrival further resources were requested as there was a reported fire within the building, a further appliance from Liskeard attended, on the report of smoke issuing from the eaves.

"Further resources were requested and eventually in attendance were appliances from Liskeard, Callington, Looe, Lostwithiel, Saltash, Bodmin, Wadebridge and St. Austell, specialist appliances from Launceston and St. Austell were also in attendance as well as water carriers from Liskeard and Wadebridge and a hydraulic platform from Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue.

By 2am the unit measuring seventy metres by thirty metres was heavily smokelogged, with crews gaining entry, and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus using main jets.

By 3am the fire was being fought from the outside, with water monitors being committed on all four sides. A safety assessment was undertaken at the scene and it was deemed unsafe for firefighters to be committed to the building.

A Silver Command Meeting between agencies at the scene saw a decision to use disc cutters on roller shutter doors to create additional entry points and enable the use of firefighting water jets. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were able to make it a short distance into the building with a main water jet.

By 5am teams of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were being used, and due to the proximity of the incident to the main A38 Devon & Cornwall Police and Cornwall Highways organised diversions within the area due to expected severe traffic disruption.

The blaze was scaled down by 7.30am with several resources returning to their home stations. A Fire Investigation will be taking place later this morning.