BBC Devon & Cornwall Live: As it happened

The fire service expects to be on the scene of the major blaze in Exeter all weekend, Devon and Somerset chief fire officer says.

Police officers are being called in from across Devon to staff a cordon around the area for the weekend at least, the force has told us.

Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell said emergency services plan to allow more shops to open tomorrow after many were cordoned off in the battle to quell a raging fire at the Royal Clarence Hotel in Exeter.

Jane RogersCopyright: Jane Rogers

He said: "We recognise people's concerns and we're hoping to allow access to one side of the shopping precinct and we are doing all we can to accommodate traders."

• 27 pumping appliances at the scene
• Four aerial ladder platforms and other supporting appliances in Cathedral Green
• Crews are using six main jets, seven hose reel jets, ladders, and 16 breathing apparatus sets

Devon Highways is asking drivers to be aware of a ramp over a hose which is pumping water from the river to Cathedral Green.

Historian Dr Todd Gray said the fire-hit Royal Clarence Hotel in Exeter is "older than it looks".

He said: "A report by Exeter Archeology shows that its medieval, the top bit was 18th Century.

All those buildings in there have medieval origins and the buildings in between are very fine 17th Century buildings of Exeter at its height.

"So whatever you see from the outside, it’s got a deeper, more interesting past just behind the plasterwork. It’s hugely significant for Exeter.”

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South West Water is offering Exeter city centre households bottled water as a fire at the Royal Clarence Hotel shrinks supplies.

Jane RogersCopyright: Jane Rogers

The fire service is already drawing water from the river as water levels fall.

City centre customers are being asked to restrict water use as much as possible. Other parts of Exeter are unaffected.   

Celebrity chef Michael Caines, who launched his first Michael Caines Restaurant at the hotel in 2000 before ending his association earlier this year, wrote on Twitter: "Gutted to see the #royalclarence on fire. Real loss to Exeter. "Heart goes out to the firefighters who are doing their best to contain it."

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Fire crews from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service are coming to assist Devon firefighters in Exeter.

More than 100 firefighters from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service are tackling the blaze.

Exeter resident Jenny Stowe filmed this footage of firefighters trying to hose down the Royal Clarence Hotel blaze.

It's almost 13 hours since the fire started. 

Working in TV we're normally searching for the flames but this has just been a day when the flames have kept coming.

Everybody thought at 0930 this morning the worst was over.

Then suddenly flames were spotted in the Royal Clarence and it's been a battle to get them under control.