FIRE ripped through a former Reading University hall of residence last night and completely gutted the building.

The alarm was raised at 6.53pm at the empty three-storey Bulmershe Court campus building in Woodlands Avenue which is awaiting demolition.

It is thought a security man spotted smoke and dialled 999 but the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

By the time the first of five appliances arrived flames leaping 10 feet in the air had already taken hold of the roof and upper floors.

Crew manager Steve Borham of Wokingham Road fire station said: "It totally destroyed the building."

Mr Borham added: "By the time we arrived the second floor was gone. The flames were coming out of the roof space about 10 feet into the air."

The fire was brought under control by around 9.30pm, when firefighters who should have been taking part in their union's latest strike over Government pension policy, handed over to a 'resilience crew', manned by volunteers, who continued to deal with the incident until it was finally out out around midnight. Senior officers remained at the scene throughout. to oversee the operation.

It is not clear what started the blaze, but it is thought the security guard called the fire brigade after spotting smoke.

Five appliances, from Wokingham Road, Caversham Road, Whitley Wood, Bracknell and Wokingham were joined by an aerial unit and a water bowser at the height of the blaze.