An investigation has been launched following a house blaze in Sprowston in the early hours of this morning.

Four fire crews and firefighters from Sprowston, Carrow and Earlham stations were called to the home in Wroxham Road, Sprowston, at about 1.45am this morning.

Firefighters broke into the empty locked property after neighbours reported a blaze on the first floor of the house.

After establishing that no one was in the home, crews used breathing apparatus and hose reel jets to put out the flames, which left the property heavily smoke damaged.

The firefighters were at the scene of the blaze until 4.40am this morning.

A police cordon has been set up outside the house and a fire investigation officer is currently at the scene to try and find out what caused the blaze.

Station manager David Brett, of Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said there had been fears that someone could have been in the house when the 999 call was made.

'We were called to an incident at 1.45am to the unoccupied house. Forced entry was made through the front door and the emphasis was on search and rescue and firefighting. It was on the first floor and it is too early to say what caused it,' he said.

Next door neighbour Keith Frary said no one had been living at the property for the last two weeks.

'I could smell plastic burning earlier and before I want to bed I looked out at the back and there was a red glow in the upstairs window and I called the fire brigade. It does not look like there is any structural damage and the main concern at the time was that we did not know if anyone was in there at the time.'