A PUB has been badly damaged by fire.

Staff were starting to prepare food at the Gray Ox in Hartshead Lane, Hartshead, at 10.30am yesterday when a fire started in an extractor fan.

They battled in vain to stop it spreading, but the flames got into the roof void and then into a bedroom above.

Watch manager David Hobson, of Dewsbury Fire Station, said: "It was a difficult fire to reach because it was behind the cooking range.

"In the end we needed four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and three hose reels to put it out.

"It had got into the roof void and then into a bedroom above."

No-one was hurt.