SMOKE can be seen from miles away as Great Malvern's Tudor Hotel burns.

The fire brigade has confirmed it has 10 appliances on site and the roof of the Wells Road-based building is ablaze.

The historic, grade-two listed building has stood unoccupied for a number of years.

A spokeswoman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said the top floor of the building was now well alight.

She said the service had been called at 9.36am.

The incident commander, Jon Pryce, told the Gazette is was a very complex operation but it did not appear to be a serious fire. He said the complexity of the situation was caused by the building being considered unsafe.

Firefighters started to enter the building just before 11.30, both from top-floor balconies and from the main entrance.

They do not believe anyone was in the hotel.

More to follow...