Guests evacuated from Popinjay Hotel fire in Rosebank

Video caption, Crews tackle the large blaze which has badly damaged the Popinjay Hotel

Guests had to be evacuated from a 19th Century hotel in South Lanarkshire after a major fire broke out.

Extensive damage has been caused to the 34-bedroom Popinjay Hotel on Lanark Road, Rosebank, after it caught fire at about 07:15.

Images on social media show that some of the hotel's roof has been destroyed.

In a statement, the hotel said that all guests and staff had been safely evacuated. There were no reported injuries.

Ten fire appliances were sent to the scene, along with a height vehicle and specialist vehicles.

Image source, Popinjay Hotel

Image caption, The Popinjay Hotel before the fire

The Popinjay Hotel wrote on Facebook: "We are able to let everyone know full evacuation of all staff and guests completed quickly without injury to anyone."

It added that the fire was now being investigated.

Police closed the A72 from Garrion bridge to Crossford Bridge and asked drivers to find alternative routes.

The hotel was built by Lord Newlands in 1882 near the supposed site of the popinjay archery contest featured in Walter Scott's novel Old Mortality.