FIREFIGHTERS today battled to control a house blaze and then launched a salvage operation to save furniture from the damaged premises.

Fire crews from Sevenoaks and Seal were called to the home in Stanhope Way, Riverhead, just before 2am after reports that the roof was alight.

They spent three hours fighting the blaze and then used breathing apparatus to enter the home and rescue anything they could find that was still intact.

The house is believed to have suffered structural damage and is due to be surveyed by Sevenoaks District Council experts today.

It is not yet clear whether anyone was in the home at the time of the fire.