The managing director of The Jolly Roger life-size model business in Bovey Tracey has spoken of his shock at the fire that destroyed part of his premises.

Three storage sheds full of fibreglass models went up in flames earlier this week (Wednesday, July 8).

Clouds of black smoke billowed from the site, and neighbours were advised to keep their windows shut as firefighters tackled the blaze.

The cause of the fire was accidental, but it’s not known yet whether the heatwave was a factor.

Managing director Chris Sims told the Mid Devon Advertiser: “It is devastating when something that’s taken so long to build up is gone in minutes.”

He said the models in the storage sheds could be replaced, “but you’re talking six months to replace them – and the actual buildings – they’re gone.

“The main thing I want to emphasise is that our main building, which has got the café and the showroom and the museum, is unaffected, and people shouldn’t be thinking we’re actually closed, because we’re not.”

Hundreds of messages of sympathy for Chris and his team have appeared on The Jolly Roger’s Facebook page, and a crowdfunder has been set up to support them.

Chris said: “We’ve got a great community in Bovey and further abroad. We’ve had messages from people in Asia that we deal with, and private messages. It’s amazing.

“I’d like to thank everyone who’s sent us messages and goodwill.”

Chris, a former Watch Manager at Bovey Tracey fire station, has also thanked all the firefighters who spent about nine hours in total on site tackling the blaze and damping down afterwards.

In a post on Facebook Bovey Tracey fire station said: “The scale of the fire was evident as we made the short trip from the station to the incident, getting to work straight away with 51mm hoses, ground monitors and hose reel jets while we waited for more resources to arrive.

“At the peak of the fire, there were eight pumping appliances, three specialist vehicles and numerous officers in attendance.

“Crews continued to rotate in the sweltering conditions to eventually bring the fire under control, with relief crews in place to ensure the fire is completely extinguished.

“We send our former Bovey firefighter all the support and best wishes as his business recovers from this incident.”