A DEVASTATED shell is all that remains of a beautiful 16th-century cottage after a blaze which burned for 12 hours.

Only a recently-added extension remains of the idyllic five-bedroom property, set in five acres of land and bought only eight months ago.

The cause has not yet been established and fire investigators have been hampered by the dangerous condition of the building.

Investigating officer Gary Kavanagh said: "Because of the state of the property we are not easily able to carry out our investigation. Arson is a possibility but we are not ruling anything out."

The fire at the £400,000 cottage, Muscals Farm in Banks Road, North Chailey, near Lewes, was first spotted in the early evening but mistaken for a small bonfire. Three hours later a passer-by raised the alarm.

Leading Firefighter Clive Widgery said: "By the time we arrived it was burning at ground level. There was nothing left of the top of the house."

Owner Jeremy Casson was in London at the time and took a taxi to Sussex to see the damage.

His wife Ashley said: "We can't quite believe it happened. It was a lovely old house. Now there's almost nothing of it at all."

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