FIRECREWS rushed to Manningtree on Christmas Day to tackle a flat fire above a family-run fish and chip shop.

Firefighters were called to the blaze, in High Street, at 11.23am.

On arrival, crews reported the flat was heavily smoke logged after an accidental fire in the bathroom.

Crews managed to put out the blaze and worked to pump water out of the flat, as well as Chilvers’ Chippy below after an internal pipe had burst by 1.43pm.

The fish and chip shop announced it will remain closed until further notice following the fire.

A statement from the shop said the fire damaged the ceilings and the electrics in the shop.

It added: “This means we have to shut until further notice.

“We will open as usual as soon as we can.”

Owners are now waiting to hear back from their insurance company assess the damage.

The shop has been run for more than 60 years by the Chilvers family.

Three generations of the family have run the business after it was first launched by couple Daphne and Gordon on January 5, 1959.

When Gordon retired in 1988, his son, Barry, took over.

And in 2008 Barry’s son, John, followed in his father’s footsteps.