UPDATE: The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge damaged in serious overnight fire

The fire started in the cellar of the 16th-century freehouse The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, near Kirkbymoorside.

Fire crews from Danby, Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley, Pickering, Malton and Stokesley were all called to the scene with the fire well ablaze on their arrival at 2.13am this morning.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service did not confirm the extent of the damage, but a salvage operation is now underway and an investigation into the cause has been launched.

The pub's owners said on the business's Facebook page: "Thanks for all the kind messages, glad to say everyone is fine and the pub wasn't damaged.

"The fire occurred in a storage cellar which was only storing the old furniture we had removed from the bar and dining rooms to allow social distancing, it did not reach the pub."

The pub is located at the highest point in the North York Moors National Park at an elevation of 1,325 feet and offers stunning valley views. It has been owned by the Crossland family since 1980.

It is known for its remote location and real ale selection, and looks forward to welcoming guests again in May.

Blaze that ripped through Cresswell Arms pub, near Malton, believed to have started accidentally, say firefighters

Last September a fire at a pub in Malton had its roof destroyed in a blaze.