The British headquarters of the Seventh Day Adventist Church has been destroyed by fire.

Firefigthers battled this afternoon to contain a devastating blaze at the organisation's Stanborough Park offices, in St Albans Road.

The nearby church building was not damaged.

Eyewitness Jo Hart said: “I really can’t believe what I’m seeing, smoke and flames are coming from all over the place. It looks like half the building is missing.

“There are police cars and ambulances everywhere.”

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the blaze at around 2.10pm this afternoon.

Ten crews attended the scene. No casualties were reported.

Witness Paul Day saw part of the building collapse. He said: "We heard a noise like thunder as part of the roof was coming down. It's really bad there - it looks like the whole thing is ready to come down."

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