A derelict Grade II listed farmhouse in Colney Heath, Hertfordshire, was severely damaged in a large fire on Tuesday morning.

The fire service said it took 12 minutes for crews to get to the blaze on Roestock Lane, due to the difficulty locating it. It took them until 07:00 to put it out, by which time the house was “substantially damaged”.

The fire service said it received a call from a member of the public, who reported seeing flames coming from the property. When firefighters arrived, they found the fire was well-established and requested additional crews. At its height, eight appliances were in attendance.

In total, 13 appliances from across the county were sent to the scene.

Simon Tuhill, assistant chief fire officer, who attended the fire, said: “The remote nature of the incident meant we had to use long runs of hose to get water to the fire.”

There were no reports of any injuries.

An investigation has begun to determine the cause of the fire.