FIREFIGHTERS battled a devastating blaze throughout the night after a derelict building in Jaywick became completely engulfed in flames.

Four Essex Fire & Rescue crews from Clacton, Weeley and Colchester all rushed to the inferno just before 3am on Wednesday morning.

Once they arrived at the scene, they found an abandoned, two-storey building in Brooklands Gardens, measuring approximately 20-metres high, completely alight.

The neglected building used to be the Mermaid Inn, but has been empty for years.

After working to put out the fire for around three hours, the brave firefighters eventually reported at 6am that the fireball had been extinguished.

Fire crews will remain at the scene to dampen down any hot spots and make the area as safe as possible.

The cause of the fire has yet to be reported.