FIREFIGHTERS from across Teignbridge were called in to help fight a major blaze in St Marychurch overnight.

Altogether 50 firefighters dealt with the incident in Fore Street which left a man in his 80s fighting for his life in a Swansea hospital.

Crews from Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Buckfastleigh and Bovey Tracey attended the scene after the alarm was raised just 10pm last night.

The source of the blaze was a flat above a jeweller’s shop near the Snooty Fox.

Nearly a dozen people were evacuated from properties either side of the flat.

Police and fire officers have launched a joint investigation to establish the cause of the incident.

A police spokesman confirmed the elderly casualty had suffered life-threatening injuries.