FIRE FIGHTERS and police were called to a blaze at the Sportsman public house, Waterloo Road, Wellington early this morning, Wednesday.

Fire appliances attended the scene from Wellington and Taunton after the alarm was raised at 1.06am.

The blaze, which officers say appeared to have started when fuel from an upturned lawnmower, which was being stored in a garage, caught fire.

The flames were put out using one hose reel jet. The building is being ventilated.

The pub recently closed just over a year after it was trashed by squatters who occupied the premises and wrecked much of the inside.

The police became involved and the pub had to be refurbished before it re-opened last July.

Now, 24-hour security is in place following the trouble.

A notice on the pub says: "These premises are closed until further notice."